ESSAYS, 


LITERARY,     MORAL 


AXD 


PHILOSOPHICAL 


BY  BENJAMIN  RUSH,  M.  D. 

AND    PROFESSOR     OF     THE    INSTITUTES    OF    MEDICINE    AND 

CLINICAL     PRACTICE     IN     THE    UNIVERSITY     OF 

PENNSYLVANIA. 

SECOND    EDITION,    WITH    ADDITIONS. 


PHILADELPHIA : 

PRINTED    BY    THOMAS    AND    WILLIAM    BRADFORD, 
NO.    8,   SOUTH    FRONT    STREET. 

1806. 


AS  A  RECORD 
OF  FRATERNAL  AFFECTION, 

THE    FOLLOWING    ESSAYS    ARE    INSCRIBED    TO 

JACOB  RUSH, 

Judge  of  the  Third  District  of  Pennsylvania. 
BY  HIS  FRIEND 

AND  BROTHER, 

cir- 

THE    AUTHOR  Of 

first 

January  9,  1798.  Uthor 

Mets 


PREFACE. 


MOST  of  the  following  Essays  were 
published  in  the  Museum,  and  Columbian 
Magazine,  in  this  City,  soon  after  the  end 
of  the  revolutionary  war  in  the  United  States. 
A  few  of  them  made  their  first  appearance 
in  pamphlets.  They  are  now  published  in  a 
single  volume,  at  the  request  of  several- 
friends,  and  with  a  view  of  promoting  the 
ends  at  first  contemplated  by  them.  Two  of 
the  Essays,  viz:  that  upon  the  use  of  To 
bacco,  and  the  account  of  remarkable  cir 
cumstances  in  the  constitution  and  life  of 
Ann  Woods,  are  now  submitted  for  the  first 
time  to  the  eye  of  the  public.  The  author 
has  omitted  in  this  collection  two  pamphlets 
which  he  published  in  the  year  1772,  upon 


PREFACE. 

the  slavery  of  the  Negroes,  because  he  con 
ceived  the  object  of  them  had  been  in  part 
accomplished,  and  because  the   Citizens  of 
the  United  States  have  since  that  time  been 
furnished     from    Great-Britain    and    other 
tenantries,  with  numerous  tracts  upon  that 
-•jeer,  more  calculated  to  complete  the  ef- 
:fect  intended  by  the  author.*  than  his  early 
publications, 

*    BENJAMIN  RUSH. 
Philadelphia,  Jm.  9,  1798. 


TABLE  OF  CONTENTS. 


A  PLAN  for  establishing  Public  Schools  4n  Pennsylvania, 
and  for  conducting  education  agreeably  to  a  Republi 
can  form  of  Government.     Addressed  to  the  Legisla 
ture- and  citizens  of  Pennsylvania,  in  the  year  1786.,  -        .    • 
Of  the  mode  of  Education  proper  ii^ a  Republic,   .'V-.-r 
Observations  upon  the  study  of  the  Latin  and  Greek 
languages,  as  a  branch  of  liberal  education,  with  hint, 
of  a  plan  of  liberal  instruction,  without  them,  accommo 
dated  to. the  present  state  of  society,  .manners  and  go 
vernment  in  the  United  States,    ,«..,,.„....    :23 

Thoughts  upon  the  amusements  and  punishments,  which 

are  proper  for  Schools, r>~  " 

Thoughts  upon  Female  Education,  accommodated  to  the 
present  state  of  society,  manners  and  government,  in 
the  United  States  of  America,  ...............  5.1  * 

A  defence  of  the  Bible  as  a  School  Book,    ...-«,-....     05    * 

An  address  to  the  ministers  of  the  Gospel  of  every  deno 
mination  in  the  United  States  upon  subjects  into  re 
to  morals,    .  .  .  „  .  ....................   11 4 

An  inquiry  into  the  consistency  of  Oaths  with  Christi 
anity,  ...:„. 12  J 

An  inquiry  into  the  Effects  of  Public  Punishments  upon 
Criminals,  and  upon  Society, I 

An  enquiry  into  the  consistency  of  the  punishment  of 
Murder  by  Death,  with  Reason  and  FeveUlion,  ...  15 


TABLE  OF  CONTENTS. 

A  plan  of  a  Peace  Office  for  the  United  States, 185  ' 

Information  to  Europeans  who  are  disposed  to  migrate  to 
the  United  States  of  America, 189 

An  Account  of  the  Progress  of  Population,  Agriculture, 
Munners,  and  Government,  in  Pennsylvania, 213 

An  Account  of  the  manners  of  the  German  Inhabitants 
of  Pennsylvania, 226 

Thoughts  on  Common  Sense, 249 

An   Account  of  the  Vices  peculiar  to  the   Indians  of 
North  America, ' 256 

Observations  upon  the  influence  of  the  Habitual  use  of 
Tobacco  upon  Health,  Morals,  and  Property,    ....  261 

An  Account  of  the  Sugar  Maple  Tree  of  the   United 
States, 270 

An  account  of  the  life  and  death  of  Edward  Drinker,  who 
died  on  the  17th.  of  November,   1782,  in  the    103rd. 

year  of  his  age, 288 

Remarkable  circumstances  in  the  constitution  and  life  of 
Ann  Woods,  an  old  woman  of  96  years  of  age,  .  .  .  293 

Biographical  Anecdotes  of  Benjamin  Lay, 296 

Biographical  Anecdotes  of  Anthony  Benezet, 302 

Paradise  of  Negro  Slaves—a  dream, 305 

An  Inquiry  into  the  causes  of  Premature  Deaths,  ....  310 

Eulogiura  upon  Dr.  William  Cullen, .  .  316 

Eulogium  upon  David  Rittenhouse, 335 


IJTERARY,  MORAL,  AND  PHILOSOPHICAL^ 


ULAN  TOR.  ESTABLISHING  PUBLIC  SCHOOLS  itf 
PENNSYLVANIA,  AND  FOR  CONDUCTING  EDUCA 
TION  AGREEABLY  TO  A  REPUBLICAN  FORM  OF  GO 
VERNMENT.  ADDRESSED  TO  THE  LEGISLATURE 
AND  CITIZENS  OF  PENNSYLVAN I  A,  IN  THE. 
Y.EAR  1786. 


B 


EFORE  I  proceed  to  the  fubjeft  of  this  ef- 
fay,  I  fhall  point  out,  in  a  few  words,  the 
influence  and   advantages  of  learning  upon  mankind. 


I.  It  is  friendly  to  religion,  inafmuch  as  it  affifts  in 
removing  prejudice,    fuperflition    and  enthufiafm,  in 
promoting  juft  notions  of  the  Deity,  and  in  enlarging 
cur  knowledge  of  his  works. 

II.  It  is  favourable  to  liberty.     Freedom  can  exift 
only  in  the  fociety  of  knowledge.     Without  learning, 
men  are  incapable  of  knowing  their  rights,  and  where 
learning  is  confined  to  a  few  people^  liberty  can  be 
neither  equal  nor  univerfal. 


1  A    PLAN    FOR    ESTABLISHING    PUBLIC 

III.  It  promotes  juft  ideas  of    laws    and    govcrnr 
ment.      «  When  the    clouds  of   ignorance  are    dif- 
pelled  (fays  the  Marquis  of  Beccaria)  by  the  radiance 
of  knowledge,   power   trembles,  but  the   authority  of 
Jaws  remains  immoveable." 

IV.  It  is  friendly   to   manners.      Learning    in    all 
countries,  promotes  civilization,  and  the  pleafures  of 
fociety  and  converfation. 

V.  It  promotes  agriculture,  the  great  bafis  of  na 
tional  wealth  and   happinefs.     Agriculture  is  as  much 
a  fcience  as  hydraulics,  or  optics,  and  has  been  equally 
indebted  to  the  experiments  and  refearches  of  learned 
men.      The  highly  cultivated  (late,  and  the  immenfc 
profits  of  the  farms  in  England,   are   derived  wholly 
from  the  patronage  which    agriculture    has    received 
in  that  country,  from  learned  men  and  learned  focieties. 

VI.  Manufactures  of  all  kinds  owe  their  perfection 
chiefly    to    learning — hence    the  nations  of   Europe 
advance     in    manufactures,    knowledge,    and     com 
merce,    only  in  proportion  as  they  cultivate  the  arts 
a:ul  fcience?. 

For  the  purpofe  of  difFufing  knowledge  through 
every  part  of  the  (late,  I  beg  leave  to  propofe  the 
following  fnnple  plan. 

I.  Let  there  be  one  univerfity  in  the  flare,  and  let 
this  be  efhbliihed  in  the  capital.  Let  law,  phyfic, 
divinity,  the  law  of  nature  a:ul  nations,  ceconomy,  &c. 
be  taught  in  it  by  public  lectures  in  the  winter  feufon. 


SCHOOLS  IN  PENNSYLVANIA.  7 

after  the  manner  of  the  European  univerfities,  and  let  the 
profeflbrs  receive  fuch  falaries  from  the  (late  as  wiH 
enable  them  to  deli ver  their  kctures  at  a  moderate  price.." 

II.  Let  there  be  four  colleges.  One  in  Philadelphia; 
one  at  Carlifle  ;  a  tnird,  for  the  benefit  of  our  German 
fellow  citizens,  at  Lancafter  ;  and  a  fourth,  fome 
years  hence  at  Pittfburg.  In  thefe  colleges,  let  young 
men  be  inftructed  in  mathematics  and  in  the  higher 
branches  of  faience,  in  the  fame  manner  that  they  arc 
now  taught  in  our  American  colleges.  After  they 
have  received  a  teftimonial  from  one  of  thefe  colleges, 
let  them,  if  they  can  afford  it,  complete  their  fludies. 
by  fpending  a  feafon  or  two  in  attending  the  lectures 
in  ths  univerfity.  I  prefer  four  colleges  in  the  ftate 
fo  one  or  two,  for  there  is  a  certain  fizs  of  colleges  as 
there  is  of  towns  and  armies,  that  is  moil  favourable 
to  morals  and  good  government.  Oxford  and  Cam 
bridge  in  England  are  the  feats  of  difTipation,  v/hiie 
the  more  numerous,  and  lefs  crouded  univerfities  and 
colleges  in  Scotland,  are  remarkable  for  the  order, 
diligence,  and  decent  behaviour  of  their  (Indents. 

III.  Let  there  be  free  fchools  eftablifhed  in  every 
townfnip,  or  in  diftri&s  confiding  of  one  hundred 
families.  In  thefe  fchools  let  children  be  taught  to 

o 

read  and  write  the  Englifli  and  German  languages, 
and  the  ufe  of  figures.  Such  of  them  as  have  parents 
that  can  afford  to  fend  them  from  home,  and  are 
difpofed  to  extend  their  educations,  may  remove  their 
children  from  the  free  fchool  to  one  of  the  colleges. 


4  A   PLAN  FOR  ESTABLISHING   PUBLIC 

By  this  plan  the  whole  flate  will  be  tied  together 
by  one  fyftem  of  education.  The  univerfity  will  in 
time  furriifh  mafters  for  the  colleges,  and  the 
colleges  will  furnifh  mafters  for  the  free  fchools, 
while  the  free  fchools,  in  their  turns,  will  fupply  the 
colleges  and  the  univerfity  with  fcholars,  (Indents  and 
pupils.  The  fame  fyftems  of  grammar,  oratory  and 
philofophy,  will  be  taught  in  every  part  of  the  flate, 
and  the  literary  features  of  Pennfylvania  will  thus  defig- 
tiate  one  great,  and  equally  enlightened  family. 

But,    how    (hall    we  bear    the    expenfe    of   thefe 

literary  inflitutions  ? 1  anfwer — Thefe  inftitutions 

will  Icffen  our  taxes.  They  will  enlighten  us  in  the 
great  bufmefs  of  finance — they  will  teach  us  to  en- 
•reafe  the  ability  of  the  (late  to  fupport  government, 
by  encreafing  the  profits  of  agriculture,  and  by  pro 
moting  manufactures.  They  will  teach  us  all  the 
modern  improvements  and  advantages  of  inland  navi 
gation.  They  will  defend  us  from  hafly  and 
cxpenfive  experiment  in  government,  by  unfolding  to 
us  the  experience  and  folly  of  pad  ages,  and  thus, 
inftead  of  adding  to  our  taxes  and  debts,  they  will 
furnifh  us  with  the  true  fecret  of  lefTening  and 
difcharging  both  of  them. 

But,  fhall  the  eflates  of  orphans,  bntclielors  and 
perfons  who  have  no  children,  be  taxed  to  pay  for 
the  fupport  of  fchools  from  which  they  can  derirc 
no  benefit  ?  I  anfwer  in  the  affirmative,  to  the  firfl 


SCHOOLS  IN  PENNSYLVANIA;  £ 

part  of  the  objection,  and  I  deny  the  truth  of  the 
latter  part  of  it.  Every  member  of  the  community 
is  interefled  in  the  propagation  of  virtue  and 
knowledge  in  the  flate.  But  I  will  go  further^ 
and  add,  it  will  be  true  ceconomy  in  individuals 
to  fupport  public  fchools.  The  batchelor  will  in 
time  fave  his  tax  for  this  pwpofe,  by  being  able  to 
fleep  with  fewer  bolts  and  locks  to  his  doors — the 
eftates  of  orphans  will  in  time  be  benefited,  by  being 
protected  from  the  ravages  of  unprincipled  and  idle 
boys,  and  the  children  of  wealthy  parents  will  be 
lefs  tempted,  by  bad  company,  to  extravagance. 
Fewer  pillories  and  whipping  pofts,  and  fmaller  goals, 
\vith  their  ufual  expenfes  and  taxes,  will  be  ne- 
ceflary  when  our  youth  are  properly  educated,  than, 
at  prefent ;  I  believe  it  could  be  proved,  that  the 
cxpenes  of  confining,  trying  and  executing  criminals, 
amount  every  year,  in  mod  of  the  counties,  to  more 
money  than  would  be  fufficient  to  maintain  all  the 
fchools  that  would  be  neceflary  in  each  county. 
The  confeflions  of  thefe  criminals  generally  fhow  us, 
that  their  vices  and  punifhments  are  the  fatal  confe- 
quences  of  the  want  of  a  proper  education  in  early 
life. 

I  fubmit  thefe  detached  hints  to  the  confideratiori 
of  the  legiilature  and  of  the  citizens  of  Penfylvania. 
The  plan  for  the  free  fchools  is  taken  chiefly  from 
the  plans  which  have  long  been  ufed  with  fuccef*  ia 


6  OF    THE   MODE    OF    EDUCATION 

Scotland,  and  in  the  enflern  Hates  *  of  America, 
\vhere  the  influence  of  learning,  in  promoting  religion, 
morals,  manners,  and  good  government,  has  never 
been  exceeded  in  any  country. 

The  manner  in  which  thefe  fchools  mould  be  fup- 
ported  and  governed — the  modes  of  determining  the 
characters  and  qualifications  of  fchool mailers,  and  the 
arrangement  of  families  in  each  diftri£l,  fo  that  children 
of  the  fame  religious  feel  and  nation,  may  be  educa- 
as  much  as  pollible  together,  will  form  a  proper  part 
of  a  law  for  the  eftabliihment  of  fchools,  and  there 
fore  does  not  come  within  the  limits  of  this  plan. 


Or    THE    MODE    OF    EDUCATION     PROPER 
IN    A    REPUBLIC. 

THE  bufmefs  of  education  has  acquired  a 
new  complexion  by  the  independence  of 
our  country.  The  form  of  government  we  h?.ve 
afTumed,  has  created  a  new  clafs  of  duties  to  every 
American.  It  becomes  us,  therefore,  to  examine  our 
former  habits  upon  this  fubjedl,  and  in  laying  the 

*    There  are  600  of  thefe    fchools  in  the  fmall  flate  of  Conne&icut, 
wli;ch  at  this  time  have  in  tlum  zc,  coo  fcholars. 


ITXPER    IN   A    REPUBLIC  ^ 

foundations  for  nyrferies  of  wife  and  good  men,  to 
adapt  our  modes  of  teaching  to  the  .peculiar  form  of 
our  government. 

•  The  firft  remark  that  I  mall  make  upon  this  fubjeft 
is,  that  an  education  in  our  own,  is  to  be  preferred  to 
an  education  in  a  foreign  country.  The  principle  of 
patriotifm  {lands  in  need  of  the  reinforcement  of 
prejudice,  and  it  is  well  known  that  our  ftrongeft 
prejudices  in  favour  of  our  country  are  formed  in  the 
firit  one  and  twenty  years  of  our  lives.  The  policy  of 
the  Lacedemonians  is  well  worthy  of  our  imitation. 
"When  Antipater  demanded  fifty  of  their  children  as 
hoftages  for  the  fulfillment  of  a  diflant  engagement; 
thofe  wife  republicans  refufed  to  comply  with  his  de 
mand,  but  readily  offered  him  double  the  number  of 
their  adult  citizens,  whofe  habits  and  prejudices  could 
not  be  fhaken  by  refiding  in  a  foreign  country.  Faffing 
by,  in  this  place,  the  advantages  to  the  community 
from  the  early  attachment  of  youth  to  the  laws  and 
conftitution  of  their  country,  I  mall  only  remark  j  that 
young  men  who  have  trodden  the  paths  of  fciencc 
together,  or  have  joined  in  the  fame  fports,  whether  of 
fwimming,  fcating,  fifliing,  or  hunting,  generally  feel, 
thro*  life,  fuch  ties  to  each  other,  as  add  greatly  to  the 
obligations  of  mutual  benevolence. 

I  conceive  the  education  of  our  youth  in  this  country 
to  be  peculiarly  neceffary  in  Pennfylvariia,  while  our 
citizens  are  compofed  of  the  natives  of  fo  many  diffe 
rent  kingdoms  in  Europe.  Our  fchools  of  learning, 


O*    THE    MODE    OF    EDUCATION 

by  producing  one  general,  and  uniform  fyftem  of 
education,  will  render  the  mafs  of  the  people  more 
homogeneous,  and  thereby  fit  them  more  eafily  for 
uniform  and  peaceable  government. 

I  proceed  in  the  next  place,  to  enquire,  what  mode 
of  education  we  fhall  adopt  fo  as  to  fecure  to  the  ftats, 
all  the  advantages  that  are  to  be  derived  from  the  proper 
inflruttion  of  youth  5  and  here  I  beg  leave  to  remark, 
that  the  only  foundation  for  a  ufeful  education  in  a 
icpublic  is  to  be  laid  in  Religion.  Without  this 
there  ciin  be  no  virtue,  and  without  virtue  there  can  be 
no  liberty,  and  liberty  is  the  obje£t  and  life  of  all 
1  republican  governments. 


Such  is  my  veneration  for  every  religion  that  reveals 
the  attributes  of  the  Deity,  or  a  future  ftate  of  rewards 
and  punimments,  that  I  had  rather  fee  the  opinions  of 
Confucius  or  Mahomed  inculcated  upon  our  youth, 
than  fee  them  grow  up  wholly  devoid  of  a  fyftem  of 
religious  principles.  But  the  religion  I  mean  to 
recommend  in  this  place,  is  that  of  the  New  Tefta- 
mcnt. 

It  is  foreign  to  my  purpofe  to  hint  at  the  arguments 
which  efiablim  the  truth  of  the  Chriftian  revelation. 
My  only  bufmefs  is  to  declare,  that  all  its  doctrines  and 
precepts  are  calculated  to  promote  the  happinefs  of 
fociety,  and  the  fafety  and  well  being  of  civil  govern- 
Lr:ur,  A  Chriftian  cannot  fail  of  being  a  republican. 
The  hiftory  of  the  creation  of  man,  an.d  of  the 


PROPER    IN    A    REPUBLIC  */ 

6f  our  fpecics  to  each  other  by  birth,  which  is  recorded 
hi  the  Old  Teftament,  is  the  beft  refutation  that  can 
be  given  to  the  divine  right  of  kings,  and  the  ftrongeft 
argument  that  can  be  ufed  in  favor  of  the  original  and 
natural  equality  of  all  mankind.  A  Chriftian,  I  fay 
again,  cannot  fail  of  being  a  republican,  for  every 
precept  of  the  Gofpel  inculcates  thofe  degrees  of  hu 
mility,  felf-denial,  and  brotherly  kindnefs,  which  aie 
directly  oppofed  to  the  pride  of  monarchy  and  the- 
pageantry  of  a  court.  A  Chriftian  cannot  fail  of  being 
ufeful  to  the  republic,  for  his  religion  teacheth  him, 
that  no  man  "  liveth  to  himfelf."  And  lailly,  a 
Chriftian  cannot  fail  of  being  wholly  inoftenfive,  for 
his  religion  teacheth  him,  in"  all  things  to  do  to  others 
what  he  would  wifh,  in  like  circumftances,  they  fhould 
do  to  him. 

I  am  aware  that  I  diflent  from  one  of  thofe  paradox 
ical  opinions  with  which  modern  times  abound;  and 
that  it  is  improper  to  fill  the  minds  of  youth  with 
religious  prejudices  of  any  kind,  and  that  they  mould 
be  left  to  choofe  their  own  principles,  after  they 
have  arrived  at  an  age  in  which  they  are  capable  of 
judging  for  themfelves.  Could  we  prefcrve  the  mind 
in  childhood  and  youth  a  perfect  blank,  this  plan  of 
education  would  have  more  to  recommend  it;  but  this 
we  know  to  be  impoffible.  The  human  mind  runs  as 
naturally  into  principles  as  it  docs  after  facls.  It 
fubmits  with  difficulty  to  thofe  reftraints  or  partial1 

e 


10  OF    THE    MODE   OP    EDUCATION 

difcoverics  which  are  impofed  upon  it  in  the  infancy  of 
reafon.  Hence  the  impatience  of  children  to  be  in 
formed  upon  all  fubje£ts  that  relate  to  the  invifiblc 
world.  But  I  beg  leave  to  afk,  why  mould  we  purfuc 
a  different  plan  of  education  with  refpecl:  to  religion, 
from  that  which  we  purfue  in  teaching  the  arts  and 
fciences  ?  Do  we  leave  our  youth  to  acquire  fyftems 
of  geography,  philofophy,  or  politics,  till  they  have 
arrived  at  an  age  in  which  they  are  capable  of  judging 
for  themfelves  ?  We  do  not.  I  claim  no  more  then 
for  religion,  than  for  the  other  fciences,  and  I  add  fur 
ther,  that  if  our  youth  are  difpofed  after  they  are  of 
age  to  think  for  themfelves,  a  knowledge  of  one  fyftem, 
will  be  the  beft  means  of  conducting  them  in  a  free 
enquiry  into  other  fyftems  of  religion,  juft  as  an 
acquaintance  with  one  fyftem  of  philofophy  is  the  beft 
introduction  to  the  ftudy  of  all  the  other  fyftems  in  the 
world. 

Next  to  the  duty  which  young  men  owe  to  their 
Creator,  I  wiih  to  fee  a  regard  to  their  country,  incul 
cated  upon  them.  When  the  Duke  of  Sully  became 
prime  niinifter  to  Henry  the  IVth  of  France,  the  firft 
thing  he  did,  he  tells  us,  "  Was  to  fubdue  and  forget 
"  his  own  heart."  The  fame  duty  is  incumbent  upon 
every  citizen  of  a  republic.  Our  country  includes 
family,  friends  r.nd  property,  and  flioukl  be  preferred 
to  them  all.  Let  our  pupil  be  taught  that  he  does 
not  belong  to  himfelf,  but  that  he  is  public  property. 
Let  him  be  taught  to  love  his  family,  but  let  him  be 


PROPER    IN    A    REPUBLIC. 

taught,at  the  fame  time,  that  he  mud  forfake,  and  even 
forget  them,  when  the  welfare  of  his  country  requires 
it.  He  muft  watch  for  the  ftate,  as  if  its  liberties 
depended  upon  his  vigilance  alone,  but  he  mud  do  this 
in  fuch  a  manner  as  not  to  defraud  his  creditors,  or 
neglect  his  family.  He  mud  love  private  life,  but  he 
mull  decline  no  ftation,  however  public  or  refponfiblc 
it  may  be,  when  called  to  it  by  the  fuffrages  of  his 
fellow  citizens.  He  muft  love  popularity,  but  he  muft 
defpife  it  when  fet  in  competition  with  the  dictates  of 
his  judgement,  or  the  real  intereft  of  his  country.  He 
muft  love  character,  and  have  a  due  fenfe  of  injuries, 
but  he  muft  be  taught  to  appeal  only  to  the  laws  of 
the  ftate,  to  defend  the  one,  and  punifh  the  other.  He 
muft  love  family  honour,  but  he  muft  be  taught  that 
neither  the  rank  nor  antiquity  of  his  anceftors,  can 
command  refpect,  without  perfonal  merit.  He  muft 
avoid  neutrality  in  all  queftions  that  divide  the  ftate, 
but  he  muft  fhun  the  rage,  and  acrimony  of  party  fpir- 
it.  He  muft  be  taught  to  love  his  fellow  creatures  in 
every  part  of  the  world,  but  he  muft  cherifh  with  a 
more  intenfe  and  peculiar  affection,  the  citizens  of 
Pennfylvania  and  of  the  United  States.  1  do  not  wifh 
to  fee  our  youth  educated  with  a  fmgle  prejudice  againft 
any  nation  or  country ;  but  we  impofe  a  talk  upon 
human  nature,  repugnant  alike  to  reafon,  revelation 
and  the  ordinary  dimerifions  of  the  human  heart,  when 
we  require  him  to  embrace,  with  equal  afFe&ion,  the 
whole  family  of  mankind.  He  muft  be  taught  to  amafs 


J2  OP    THE    MODE    OF    EDUCATION 

wealth,  but  it  muft  be  only  to  encreafe  his  power  of 
contributing  to  the  wants  and  demands  of  the  {late* 
IHe  muft  be  indulged  occafionally  in  amufements,  but 
he  muft  be  taught  thaXftudy  and  bufmefs  mould  be 
his  principal  purfuits  in  life.  Above  all  he  muft  love 
life,  and  endeavour  to  acquire  as  many  of  its  convenien 
ces  as  poflible  by  induftry  and  economy,  but  he  muft 
be  taught  that  this  life  "  is  not  his  own,"  when  the 
fcifety  of  his  country  requires  it.  Thefe  are  practica 
ble  lefTons,  and  the  hiftory  of  the  commonwealths  of 
Greece  and  Rome  {how,  that  human  nature,  without 
the  aids  of  Chriftianity,  has  attained  thefe  degrees  of 
perfection. 

While  we  inculcate  thefe  republican  duties  upon  our 
pupil,  we  muft  not  neglect,  at  the  fame  time,  to  infpire 
him  with  republican  principles.  He  muft  be  taught 
that  there  can  be  no  durable  liberty  but  in  a  republic, 
and  that  government,  like  all  other  fciences,  is  of  a 
progreffive  nature.  The  chains  which  have  bound  this 
fcience  in  Europe  arc  happily  unloofed  in  America. 
Here  it  is  open  to  inveftigation  and  improvement. 
While  philofophy  has  protected  us  by  its  difcoveries 
from  a  thoufand  natural  evils,  government  has  unhap 
pily  followed  with  an  unequal  pace.  It  would  be  to 
dimonour  human  genius,only  to  name  the  many  defeats 
which  (till  exift  in  the  belt  fyftems  of  legiflation.  We 
daily  fee  matter  of  a  perifhable.  nature  rendered 
durable  by  certain  chemical  operations.  In  like  man 
ner,!  conceive,  that  it  is  poflible  to  combine  power  in 


PROPER   IN   A    REPUBLIC.  13 

fiich  a  way  as  not  only  to  encreafe  the  happinefs, 
but  to  promote  the  duration  of  republican  forms  of 
government  far  beyond  the  terms  limited  for  them  by 
hiftory,  or  the  common  opinions  of  mankind. 

To  afliit  in  rendering  religious,  moral  and  political 
inftrudtion  more  effectual  upon  the  minds  of  our  youth, 
it  will  be  neceflary  to  fubject  their  bodies  to  phyfical  dif- 
cipline.  To  obviate  the  inconveniences  of  their 
ftudious  and  fedentary  mode  of  life,  they  fhould  live 
upon  a  temperate  diet,  confiding  chiefly  of  broths, 
milk  and  vegetables.  The  black  broth  of  Sparta,  and 
the  barley  broth  of  Scotland,  have  been  alike  celebrated 
for  their  beneficial  effects  upon  the  minds  of  young 
people.  They  mould  avoid  tailing  Spirituous  liquors. 
They  fhould  alfo  be  accuftomed  occafionally  to  work 
with  their  hands,  in  the  intervals  of  Study,  and  in  the 
bufy  feafons  of  the  year  in  the  country.  Moderate 
ileep,  filence,  occafiorial  folitude  and  cleanlinefs,  fhould 
be  inculcated  upon  them,  and  the  utmoft  advantage 
fhould  be  taken  of  a  proper  direction  of  thofe  great 
principles  in  human  conduct, — fenfibility,  habit, 
imitations  and  aflbciation. 

The  influence  of  thefe  phyfical  caufes  will  be  power 
ful  upon  the  intellects,  as  well  as  upon  the  principles 
and  morals  of  young  people. 

To  thofe  who  have  ftudied  human  nature,  it  will 
not  appear  paradoxical  to  recommend,  in  this  eflay,  a 
particular  attention  to  vocal  mufic.  Its  mechanical 


14  OF    THE    MODE    OF    EDUCATION 

effects  in  civilizing  the  mind,  and  thereby  preparing  it 
for  the  influence  of  religion  and  government,  have  been 
fo  often  felt  and  recorded,  that  it  will  be  unneceiTary 
to  mention  facts  in  favour  of  its  ufefulnefs,  in  order  to 
excite  a  proper  attention  to  it. 

I  cannot  help  bearing  a  teftimony,  in  this  place, 
rigainft  the  cuftom,  which  prevails  in  fome  parts  of 
America,  (but  which  is  daily  falling  into  difufe  in 
,  Europe)  of  crouding  boys  together  under  one  roof  for 
the  purpofe  of  education.  The  practice  is  the  gloomy 
remains  of  monkifh  ignorance,  and  is  as  unfavorable  to 
the  improvements  of  the  mind  in  ufeful  learning,  as 
monafterics  are  to  the  fpirit  of  religion.  I  grant  this 
mode  of  fecludingboys  from  the  intercourfe  of  private 
families,  has  a  tendency  to  make  them  fcholars,  but  our 
bufmefs  is  to  make  them  men,  citizens  and  chriftiaris. 
The  vices  of  young  people  are  generally  learned  from 
each  other.  The  vices  of  adults  feldom  in f eft 
them.  By  feparating  them  from  each  other,  therefore, 
in  their  hours  of  relaxation  from  ftudy,  we  fecure  their 
morals  from  a  principal  fource  of  corruption,  while  we 
improve  their  manners,  by  fubjecling  them  to  thofe 
re{lrnints  which  the  difference  of  age  and  fex,  naturally 
produce  in  private  families. 

From  the  obfervations  that 'have  been  made  it  is  plain, 
that  I  confider  it  is  pofiiblc  to  convert  men  into  repub 
lican  machines.  This  muft  be  done,  if  we  expect  them 
to  perform  their  parts  properly,  in  the  great  machine 


PROPER  IN  A  REPUBLIC.  15 

of  the  government  of  the  ftate.  That  republic  is  fophif- 
ticated  with  monarchy  or  androcracy  that  does  not 
revolve  upon  the  wills  of  the  people,  and  thefe  mull  be 
fitted  to  each  other  by  means  of  education  before  they 
can  be  made  to  produce  regularity  and.  unifon  in  .go 
vernment. 

Having  pointed  out  thofe  general  principles,  which 
mould  be  inculcated  alike  in  all  the  fchools  of  the  (late, 
I  proceed  now  to  make  a  few  remarks  upon  the  method 
of  conducting, , what  is  commonly  called,  a  liberal  or 
learned  education  in  a  republic. 

I  (hall  begin  this  part  of  my  fubjeft,  by  bearing  a 
teftimony  againfl  the  common  practice  of  attempting 
to  teach  boys  the  learned  languages,  and  the  arts  and. 
fciences  too  early  in  life.  The  firft  twelve  years  of 
life  are  barely  fufficient  to  inflrucl:  a  boy  in  reading, 
writing  and  arithmetic.  With  thefe,  he  may  be  taught 
thofe  modern  languages  which  are  neceffary  for  him 
to  fpeak.  The  ftate  of  the  memory,  in  early  life,  is 
favorable  to  the  acquifition  of  languages,  efpecialiy 
when  they  are  conveyed  to  the  mind,  through  the  ear. 
It  is,  moreover,  in  early  life  only,  that  the  organs  of 
fpeech  yield  in  fuch  a  manner  as  to  favour  the  juft 
pronounciation  of  foreign  languages. 

Too  much  pains  cannot  be  taken  to  teach  cur 
youth  to  read  and  write  our  American  language  with 
propriety  and  elegance.  The  ftudy  of  the  Greek 
language  conftituted  a  material  part  of  the  literature 


1 6  OF    THE     MODE    OF    EDUCATION 

of  the  Athenians,  hence  the  fublimity,  purity  arid 
immortality  offo  many  of  their  writings.  The  ad 
vantages  of  a  perfect  knowledge  of  our  language  to 
young  men  intended  for  the  profeflions  of  law,  phyfic, 
or  divinity  are  too  obvious  to  be  mentioned,  but  in 
a  ftate  which  boafls  of  the  firft  commercial  city  in 
America,  I  wifh  to  fee  it  cultivated  by  young  men, 
who  are  intended  for  the  compting  houfe,  for  many 
fuch,  1  hope,  will  be  educated  in  our  colleges.  The 
time  is  pad  when  an  academical  education  was  thought 
to  be  unneceflary  to  qualify  a  young  man  for  merchan 
dize.  I  conceive  no  profeflion  is  capable  of  receiv 
ing  more  embellimments  from  it.  The  French  and 
German  languages  mould  likewiie  be  carefully  taught 
in  all  our  Colleges.  They  abound  with  ufeful  books 
upon  all  fubjecls.  So  important  and  neceflary  are 
thofe  languages,  that  a  degree  fliould  never  be  con» 
ferred  upon  a  young  man  who  cannot  fpeak  or 
tranflate  them. 

Connected  with  the  itudy  of  languages  is  the 
fludy  of  Eloquence.  It  is  well  known  how  great  a 
p;.rt  it  conflituted  of  the  Roman  education.  It  is 
the  fir  (I  accompiilhment  in  a  republic,  and  often  fets 
the  whole  machine  of  government  in  motion.  Let 
our  youth,  therefore,  be  inftrufted  in  this  art.  We 
do  not  extol  it  too  highly  when  we  attribute  as  much 
to  ti.o  power  of  eloquence  as  to  the  fword,  in  bring- 
in-;  about  the  American  revolution. 


- 


PROPER   IN   A    REPUBLIC  I? 

With  the  ufual  arts  and  fciences  that  are  taught  in 
our  American  colleges,  I  wifh  to  fee  a  regular  courfe 
6f  lectures  given  upon  Hiftory  and  Chronology. 
The  fcience  of  government,  whether  it  related  to 
conftitutions  or  laws,  can  only  be  advanced  by  a  care 
ful  felection  of  facts,  and  thefe  are  to  be  found  chiefly 
in  hiftory.  Above  all,  let  our  youth  be  inftructed 
in  the  hiftory  of  the  ancient  republics,  and  the  pro- 
grefs  of  liberty  and  tyranny  in  the  different  ftares  of 
Europe.  I  wifh  likewife  to  fee  the  numerous  facts 
that  relate  to  the  origin  and  prefent  ftate  .of  commerce, 
together  with  the  nature  and  principles  of  Moncyj 
reduced  to  fuch  a  fyftem,  as  to  be  intelligible  and  a- 
greeable  to  a  young  man.  If  we  confider  the  com 
merce  of  our  metropolis  only  as  the  avenue  of  the 
wealth  of  the  ftate,  the  ftudy  of  it  merits  a  place  in 
a.  young  man's  education  ;  but,  I  confider  commerce 
in  a  much  higher  light  when  I  recommend  the  ftudy 
of  it  in  republican  feminaries.  I  view  it  as  the  beft 
fccurity  againft  the  influence  of  hereditary  monopolies 
of  land,  and,  therefore,  the  fureft  protection  againft 
ariftocracy.  I  confider  its  effects  as  next  to  thofe 
<ff  religion  in  humanizing  mankind,  and  lailly,  I 
view  it  as  the  means  of  uniting  the  different  nations 
of  the  world  together  by  the  ties  of  mutual  wants 
and  obligations. 

Chemiftry  by  unfolding  to  us  the  effects  of  heat 
and  mixture,  enlarges  our  acquaintance  with  the 

wonders  of  nature    and  the  myfteries  of   art;   hence 

I) 


1 8  Or   THI    MODE   OF   EDUCATION 

it  has  become,  in  moft  of  the  univerfitics  of  Europe, 
a  jieceflary  branch  of  a  gentleman's  education.  In  a 
young  country,  where  improvements  in  -agriculture  and 
manufactures  are  fo  much  to  be  defired,  the  cultiva 
tion  of  tills  fcience,  which  explains  the  principles 
of  both  of  them,  mould  be  confidered  as  an  object 
of  the  utmoft  importance. 

Again,  let  your  youth  be  inftructed  in  all  the 
means  of  promoting  national  profperity  and  inde 
pendence,  whether  they  relate  to  improvements  in 
agriculture,  manufactures,  or  inland  navigation.  Let 
him  be  inftruCted  further  in  the  general  principles 
of  legiflation,  whether  they  relate  to  revenue,  or  to 
the  prefervation  of  life,  liberty  or  property.  Let 
him  be  directed  frequently  to  attend  the  courts  of 
juftice,  where  he  will  have  the  beft  opportunities 
of  acquairing  habits  of  comparing,  and  arranging 
his  ideas  by  obferving  the  difcovery  of  truth,  in 
the  examination  of  witnefles,  and  where  he  will  hear 
the  laws  of  the  dale  explained,  with  all  the  advan 
tages  of  that  fpecies  of  eloquence  which  belongs  to 
the  bar.  Of  fo  much  importance  do  I  conceive  it 
to  be,  to  a  young  man,  to  attend  occafionally  to  the 
decifions  of  our  courts  of  law,  that  I  wifh  to  fee 
our  colleges  eflablimed,  onjy  in  county  towns. 

But  further,  confidemig  the  nature  of  our  con 
nection  with  the  Unified  States,  it  will  be  necefiary 
to  make  our  pupil  acqujptcd  with  all  the  prerogatives 


4 

-PROPER    IN    A    REPUBLIC.  19 

of  the  national  government.  He  mud  be  inftruiled 
in  the  nature  and  variety  of  treaties.  He  muft 
know  the  difference  in  the  powers  and  duties  of  the 
feveral  fpecies  of  ambaffadors.  He  mufl  be  taught 
wherein  the  obligations  of  individuals  and  of  ftatcs 
are  the  fame,  and  wherein  they  differ.  In  fhort,  he 
rnuft  accquire  a  general  knowledge  of  all  thofe  laws  and 
forms,  which  unite  the  fovereigns  of  the  earth,  or. 
feparate  them  from  each  other. 

I  beg  pardon  for  having  delayed  fo  long  to  fay 
any  thing  of  the  feparate  and  peculiar  mode  of 
education  proper  for  women  in  a  republic.  I  am 
fen  fable  that  they  mufl  concur  in  all  our  plans  of 
of  education  for  young  men,  or  no  laws  will  ever 
render  them  effectual.  To  qualify  our  women  for 
this  purpofe,  they  fhould  not  only  be  inftru&ed  in 
the  ufual  branches  of  female  education,  but  they 
fhould  be  taught  -the  principles  of  liberty  and  go 
vernment  ;  and  the  obligations  of  patriotifm  fliould 
be  inculcated  upon  them.  The  opinions  and  condudt 
of  men  are  often  regulated  by  the  women  in  the 
moft  arduous  enterprizes  of  life  ;  and  their  approbation 
is  frequently  the  principal  reward  of  the  hero's 
dangers,  and  the  patriot's  toils.  Befides,  the  firft 
impreffions  upon  the  minds  of  children  are  gene- 
raly  derived  from  the  women.  Of  how  much  con- 
fequence,  therefore,  is  it  in  a  republic,  that  they 
ihould  think  juftly  upon  the  great  fubjecb  of  liberty 
and  government ! 


2©  OF    THE    MODE   OF   EDUCATION,  &C. 

The  complaints  that  have  been  made  againft  religion, 
liberty  and  learning,  have  been,  againft  each  of  them 
in  a  feparate  flate.  Perhaps  like  certain  liquors, 
they  fhould  only  be  ufed  in  a  ftate  of  mixture. 
-They  mutually  affift  in  correcting  the  abufes,  and 
in  improving  the  good  effects  of  each  other.  From 
the  combined  and  reciprocal  influence  of  religion, 
liberty  and  learning  upon  the  morals,  manners  and 
knowledge  of  individuals,  of  thefe,  upon  govern 
ment,  and  of  government,  upon  individuals,  it  is 
impoffible  to  meafure  the  degrees  of  happinefs  and 
perfection  to  which  mankind  may  be  raifed.  For 
my  part,  I  can  form,  no  ideas  of  the  golden  age,  fo 
much  celebrated  by  the  poets,  more  delightful,  thai* 
the  contemplation  of  that  happinefs  which  it  is  now 
in  the  power  of  the  legiflature  of  Permfylvania  to 
confer  upon  her  citizens,  by  eftablifhing  proper  modes 
smd  places  of  education  in  every  part  of  the  flate. 


OBSERVATIONS  UPON  THE  STUDY  OF  THE  LATIN  AND 

CREEK  LANGUAGES,  AS  A  BRANCH  OF  LIBERAL 
EDUCATION,  WITH  HINTS  OF  A  PLAN  OF  LIBERAL 
INSTRUCTION,  WITHOUT  THEM,  ACCOMMODATED 
TO  THE  PRESENT  STATE  OF  SOCIETY,  MANNERS, 
AND  GOVERNMENT  IN  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


I 


requires  the  recollection  of  efcapes  from  a 
lion  and  a  bear,  to  encounter  the  flrong  and 
univerfal  prejudice,  in  favor  of  the  Latin  and  Greek 
languages,  as  a  neceflary  branch  of  liberal  education. 
If,  in  combating  this  formidable  enemy  of  human 
reafon,  I  mould  be  lefs  fuccesful  than  the  Hebrew 
{tripling  was  in  contending  with  the  giant  of  the 
Philiftines,  I  hope  it  will  be  afcribed  wholly  to  the 
want  of  fkill  to  direct  arguments,  which,  in  other 
hands,  would  lay  this  tyrant  in  the  duft. 

I  fhall  attempt  to  difcufs  this  queftion,  by  firft  deliv 
ering  a  few  general  propofitions.  I  fhall  afterwards 
apply  thefe  propofitions,  and  anfwer  fuch  arguments  as 
are  ufually  urged  in  favor  of  the  Latin  and  Greek 
languages  as  neceflary  parts  of  an  academic  education. 

I.     The  great  defign  of  a    liberal  education  is,   to 
prepare  youth  for  ufefulnefs  here,  and  for  happinefs 
ereafter. 


22  OBSERVATIONS  ON    THE   STUDY  OF  THE 

IL  The  proper  time  for  acquiring  the  neceffary 
branches  of  knowledge  for  thefe  important  purpofes, 
is  in  the  firft  eighteen  years  of  life. 

III.  From   four  to   five    years    are  ufually    fpent 
in  acquiring  a  competent  knowledge    of    the    Latin 
and  Greek  languages. 

IV.  The  knowledge  of  things  always  preceeds'  the 
knowledge    of  words.     Children    difcover   the   truth 
of  this    obfervation  every   day.     They  know    all  the 
objects  around    them,  long    before    they  are  able  to 
call  them   by  their    proper  names,   or  even   to  arti 
culate    founds     of    any    kind.     It    is   fuppofed   that 
children  acquire  more  ideas    of  things  in    the    firft 
three  years  of  their  lives,  than   they    acquire  in  any 
thirty  years    afterwards. 

V.  The  acquifition    of    words   leflens  the    ability 
of  the  mind  to  acquire    ideas.     That   underilanding 
mud    have    uncommon    ftrength,    which   does     not 
contract   an    oblique    direction  by    being    employed 

four  or  five   years   in  learning  the   Latin   or    Greek 
languages. 

VI.  The    difficulty    of     acquiring       thofe      dead 
languages,   and  the  little  pleafure  which  accompanies 
the  knowledge    of   them    in    early  life,  occafion   the 
principal      obftacles     to    teaching,    in    mailers,  and 
learning,   in  fcholars. 


LATIN    AND    GREEK     LANGUAGE!.  23 

The  famous  Bufby  is  faid  to  have  died  of  "  bad 
Latin  j"  that  is,  the  vmgrammatical  verfions  of  his 
fcholars  broke  his  heart.  How  few  boys  relifh  Latin 
and  Greek  lefTons !  The  pleafure  they  fometimes 
difcover  in  learning  them,  is  derived  either  from  the 
tales  they  read,  or  from  a  competition,  which  awak 
ens  a  love  of  honour,  and  which  might  be  dif- 
played  upon  a  hundred  more  ufeful  fubjects  ;  or  it 
may  .arife  from  a  defirc  cf  gaining  the  good  will 
of  their  mailers  or  parents.  Where  thefe  incentives 
are  wanting,  how  bitter  does  the  ftudv  of  languages 
render  that  innocent  period  of  life,  which  fcerns  ex- 
clufively  intended  for  happinefs !  "  I  wifh  I  had 
never  been  born,"  faid  a  boy  of  eleven  years  old,  to 
his  mother  : {e  why,  my  fon  ?"  faid  his  mother.  <s  Be- 
caufe  I  am  born  into  a  world  of  trouble."  "  What 
f{  trouble,"  faid  his  mother  fmiling,  "  have  you 
«  known,  my  fon  ?" — <e  Trouble  enough,  mamma," 
faid  he,  <l  two  Latin  IcfFons  to  get,  every  day."  This 
boy  was  not  deficient  in  genius  nor  in  application  to 
books.  He  often  amufed  himfelf  in  reading  natural 
and  ancient  hiftory,  was  inquifitive  after  knov/ledge 
of  every  kind,  and  was  never  heard  to  afk  a  foolifh  or 
impertinent  queflion. 

VII.  Many  fprightly  boys  of  excellent  capacities  for 
ufef  ul  knowledge,  have  been  fe>  difgufted  with  the  dead 
languages,  as  to  retreat  from  the  drudgery  of  fchools, 
to  low  company,  whereby  they  have  become  bad  mem- 


14  OBSERVATIONS   ON   THE  STUDY   OF 

bers  of  fociety,    and  entailed  rnifery   upon   all  who* 
have  been  connected  with  them. 

VIII.  The  Latin  and  Greek  languages  are  the  firft 
tefts  of  genius  in    fchools.     "Where  boys  difcover  a 
want  of  capacity  for  them,  they  are  generally  taken 
from  fchool,  or  remain  there  the  butts  of  their   com-' 
panions.     Dr.  Swift  early  difcovered  a  want  of  tafte 
for  the  dead  languages.     It  would  be  unjuft  to  men 
tion  this  fa<St,   without   afcribing  it  to    the    voice   of 
reafon    and  nature  fpeaking  in  this  great  man.      He 
hud  no  relifh  for  the  hulks  of  literature.       Truth  and 
knowledge  were  alone  commenfurate  to   the    dignity 
and  extent  of  his  mind. 

IX.  The  ftucly  of   forrie  of  the   Latin  and  Greek 
clafiics   is  unfavourable    to  morals  and  religion.      In 
delicate  amours,   and  (hocking     vices    both  of    gods 
and  men,    fill    many  parts  of  them.      Hence   an  early 
and  dangerous    acquaintance    with  vice  ;   and    hence, 
from    an   afTocialion    of   ideas,   a   diminished  refpetfe 
for   the   unity      and   perfections  of    the    true    God. 
Thofe  daffies   which    are    free   from  this     cenfure, 
contain  little  elfe  but  the  hiftories   of  murders,  per 
petrated   by  kings,     and  related   in      fuch  a  manner 
as  to  excite   pleafure  and   admiration.        Hence    the 
univerfal  preference  of  the   military  character  to    all 
others. — To    the    fame  caufe  we    may    afcribe    the 
early  paffioh   for  a  cockade  in  fchool    boys  ;    and  the 
vhe  frequent  adoption  of  the  principles  and    vices  of 


LATIN   AND    GREEK    LANGUAGES.  3£ 

armies,  by  young  men  who  are    deilined    for    other 
profeffions, 

X.  The  ftudy  of  the  Latin  and  Greek  languages 
is  improper  in  the  prefent  flate  of  fociety  and 
government  in  United  States.  While  Greek  and 
Latin  are  the  only  avenues  to  fcience,  education 
will  always  be  confined  to  a  few  people.  It  is 
only  by  rendering  knowledge  univerfal,  that  a  re- 


our  country. 


publican   form  of  government   can   be    preferved  in 


I  mall  hereafter  mention  other  reafons  why  the 
fludy  of  thefe  languages  is  improper  in  a  peculiar 
manner  in  the  United  States. 

XI.  The  cultivation  of  the  Latin  and  Greek    lan 
guages   is    a    great  obilacle    to  the   cultivation     and 
perfection   of  the  Englifli  language. 

XII.  It  is  likewife  one  of  the  greatefl  obftruttions 
that  has -ever  been   thrown  in  the  way  of  propagating 
ufeful  knowledge. 

On  each  cf  thefe  two  laft  proportions  I  (hall 
treat  more  fully  in  another  place. 

I  proceed  now  to  confider  the  principle  arguments- 
that  have  been  urged  in  favour  of  the  Latin  and 
Greek  languages,  as  neceffary  parts  of  a  liberal  I' 
education. 


26  OBSERVATIONS   ON   THE  STUDY   OF   THE 

I.  A  kno  vledge  of  the  Latin  or  Greek  grammar,  it 
has  been  filici ,  is  neceflary  for  our  becoming  acquainted 
with  Englifh  grammar.     There  was  a  time   when  the 
authority  of  a  great  name  impofed  this  opinion  upon 
me,  and  even  led  me  publicly  to  adopt  it,   but  I  am 
now  fatisfled    that    it  is  wholly  deilitute    of    truth. 
I  have  known  many    bachelors  and  matters  of  arts, 
who  were  incorrecl  Englifh    fcholars,  and  many  per- 
fons  of  both  fexes,    ignorant  of  the  dead   languages, 
who  both  wrote  and  fpoke  Englifh,   agreeably    to  the 
flri cleft  rules  of  modern  grammar.     Indeed  I   cannot 
help   afcribing  the  late  improvements  in  the   Englifh 
language  chiefly  to  the  neglect  of  the  Latin  and  Greek 
lan^uap-es.     The  Greek  is  fuppofed  to  be  the    mod 
perfect  language  both  in  its  conflruclion  and  harmony, 
that  has  ever  been    fpoken  by  mortals.       Now    this 
language  was  net  learned  through  the  medium   of   any 
other.     Hence  it  was     acquired     and    fpoken    with 
equal  propriety  by  all  ranks  of  people,  and  not  lefs  by 
an  apple  woman,  than  by  the    celebrated    orators    of 
Greece.     In  that  highly  favoured  nurfery  of  human 
genius,  the  avenues  to  knowledge  were  not    obftrucl:- 
ecl  by  t\vo  or  three  dead,  or  even  foreign  languages  ; 
nor  was  the  precious  fcafon  of  youth,  when    memory 
is  moft- faithful,  and  curiofity  molt  active,    mis  fpent 
in  learning    words.     Hence     the     fame  of    ancient 
Greece  in  arts  and  fuences,  and  hence    the  fublimity 
of  the  orations  of  Demofthenes,  and  of   the    poems 
of  Homer.     There  was    nothing  in    the  competition 


LATIN   AND    GREEK  LANGHAGES.  27 

of  the  blood,  or  in  the  ftru&ure  of  the  nerves  of  the 
ancient  Greeks,  which  gave  them  a  pre-eminence  over 
the  reft  of  mankind.  It  arofe  entirely  from  their 
being  too  wife  to  wafte  the  important  years  of  edu 
cation  in  learning  to  call  fubftances,  by  two  or  three 
different  names,  inftead  of  ftudying  their  qualities  and 
ufes.  The  conftrudion  of  the  Englifh,  differs  mate 
rially  from  that  of  the  Latin  and  Greek  languages ; 
and  the  attempt  to  accommodate  it  to  the  Greek 
and  Roman  grammars  has  checked  its  improvement  in 
many  in  {lances.  I  hope  to  prove  hereafter,  that  a 
knowledge  of  grammar,  like  a  knowledge  of  pro 
nunciation,  fhould  be  learned  only  by  the  ear  in  early 
life.  The  practice  of  teaching  boys  Englifh  grammar, 
through  the  medium  of  a  dead  language,  is  as  abfurd,  as 
it  would  be  for  a  parent  to  force  his  child  to  chew  peb 
bles  or  mahogany,  in  order  to  prepare  its  gums  or 
teeth  to  mafticate  bread  and  meat. 

2.  We  are  told  that  the  Roman  and  Greek  authors 
are  the  only  perfect  models  of  tafte  and  eloquence, 
and  that  it  is  neceflary  to  ftudy  them,  in  order  to 
acquire  their  tafte  and  fpirit.  Strange  language  indeed ! 
what  !  did  nature  exhauft  herfelf  in  Greece  and  Rome  ? 
Are  the  ancients  the  only  repofitories  of  the  great 
principles  of  tafte  and  genius?  I  reject  the  fuppofitionj 
and  will  venture  to  affert,  in  oppofition  to  it,  that  we 
(hall  never  equal  the  fublime  and  original  authors  of 
antiquity  until  we  ceafe  to  ftudy  them. 


28  OBSERVATIONS   ON    THE    STUDY    OF    THE 

Nature  is  always  the  fame.  Let  us  yield  to  her  infpi- 
ration  alone,  and  avail  ourfelves  of  allufions  to  the  many 
difcoveries  which  have  lately  been  made  in  her  works. 
Shake fpeare  owes  his  fame,  as  a  fublime  and  original 
poet,  to  liis  having  never  read  (as  is  generally  believed) 
a  Latin  or  Greek  author.  Hence  he  fpoke  from  nature, 
or  rather,  nature  fpoke  thro'  him.  But  it.fhould  be 
remembered  that  art,  as  well  as  nature,  feeds  the  flame 
of  genius.  By  neglecting  the  ancients,  we  may  bor 
row  imagery  from  the  many.ufeful  and  well  known 
arts  which  have  been  the  inventions  of  modern  ages, 
and  thereby  furpafs  the  antients  in  the  variety  and 
efFecl:  of  our  compofitions.  It  is  to  this  paflion  for 
ancient  writers  that  we  are  to  afcribe  the  great  want  of 
originality,  that  marks  too  many  of  the  poems  of  mod 
ern  times.  .A  judicious  critic  has  obferved,  that  the 
descriptions  of  Spring,  which  are  publifhed  every  year 
in  England,  apply  chiefly  to  the  climates  of  Greece  and 
the  .'neighbourhood  of  Rome.  This  is  the  natural 
effecl:  of  a  fervile  attachment  to  the  ancient  poets.  It 
inlenfibly  checks  invention  and  leads  to  imitation. 
The  pleafur?  with  which  the  poems  of  the  fhoemaker, 
the  milk-mead,  and  the  Ayrefhire  ploughman,  have  been 
read  by  all  cl.i/Tes  of  people,  proves  that  an  acquaintance 
with  the  Greek  or  Roman  poets,  is  not  neceiTary  to 
infpire  jufl  ideas,  or  to  produce  harmony  in  poetry. 
Dr.  Swift,  as  an  author,  owes  nothing  to  the  ancients* 
He  has  attained  to  what  Pope  calls  the  S(  majefty"  and 
yrliat  Lord  Shaftefbury  calls  the  "  divinenefs"  of  fim- 


LATIN  AND  GREEK  LANGUAGES.         2£ 

•plicity  in  writing.  All  his  competitions,  exemplify 
his  own  perfect  definition  of  ftyle.  They  confift  of 
"  proper  words  in  their  proper  places."  I  have  heard 
of  a  learned  gentlemen  in  Scotland,  who,  when  any  of 
his  friends  propofed  to  introduce  a  ftranger  to  him,  afk- 
ed  only,  as  a  proof  of  his  tafte  for  compofition,  whether 
he  admired  Dr.  Young's  Night  Thoughts  ?  Were 
I  to  receive  a  vifitor  upon  fimilar  terms,  my  only 
queftion  mould  be,  "does  he  admire  the  ftyle  of  Dr. 
«  Swift  r 

jTJnder  this  head  I  fhall  only  add,  that  the  mofl 
intimate  acquaintance  with  the  Roman  and  Greek 
writers  will  not  produce  perfection  of  ftyle  in  men  who 
are  devoid  of  tafte  and  genius.  Hence  we  fometimes 
find  the  moft  celebrated  teachers  of  the  Latin  and 
Greek  languages  extremely  deficient  in  Engliih  compo 
fition.  I  acknowledge  that  Milton,  Addifon,  Hume, 
Middleton  and  Bolingbroke,  whofe  ftylcs  have  been 
fo  much  admired,  were  all  Latin  and  Greek  fcholars. 
But  in  thefe  authors,  a  native  ftrength  of  genius,  and 
tafte  preferved  their  writings  from  the  affectation  and 
obfcurity  which  are  imparted  to  Englifh  compofitions, 
by  an  adherence  to  the  grammars  and  arrangement  of 
the  Latin  and  Greek  languages. 

3.  It  has  been  faid  that  we  cannot  know  the  ufe  or 
meaning  of  thofe  numerous  Englifh  words  which  are 
derived  from  the  Latin  and  Greek,  without  a  know 
ledge  of  thofe  languages.  To  this  I  may  anfwer,  that 


O  OBSERVATIONS  ON  THE  STUDY  OF    THE 

what  proves  too  much,   proves  nothing  at  all.     The 
argument   that  has  been  mentioned,    proves  that  a 
knowledge  of  the  Celtic,  the  Saxon,  the  German,  the 
French,  the  Italian  and  the  Dutch,  is  neceflary  to  ena 
ble  us  to  underftand  the  ufe  of  many  Englifh  words; 
for  far  the  greatefl  part  of  them  are  derived  from  thofe 
languages.      But   I  object  further  to  this  argument, 
that  if  a  knowledge  of  the  derivation  of  Errglifh  words 
from  the  Greek  and  Latin  languages,  mould  be  follow 
ed  by  a  drift  regard  to  their  original  meaning,  it  would 
lead  us  into  many  miftakes.     The  derivation   of  the 
word  "  angel"  would  lead  us  to  contemplate  a  meflen- 
ger,   inliead  of  a  perfect    finite  intelligence.        The 
derivation  of  the  word   «  rebellion"  would  lead  us  to 
contemplate  a  v/ar  commenced  by  a  conquered  people  : 
inftead  of  a  refiftance  to  the  juft  authority  of  govern 
ment.       Many  other  inftances   of  fimilar  incongruity 
might  be  mentioned  between  the  meaning  of  certain 
Englifh  words,  and  their  Roman  and  Greek  originals. 
I  conclude  therefore  that  a  knowledge  of  the  derivation 
of  words  is  not  riecefTary  to  teach  us  their  proper  ufe 
and  meaning.     Cuftom,  which  is  the  law  and  rule  of 
fpeech,  and  what//,  inftead  of  what  JJjouldbe  common, 
will  always  govern  the  ufe  of-  words.     Where  cuftom 
is  unknown,  modern  Englifh  dictionaries  will  fupply 
its  place. 

Here  I  beg  leave  to  repeat  that  the  fludy  of  the 
Greek  and  Latin  languages  by  the  Englifn  nation 
has  been  one  of  the  greateft  obftrmSUons,  that  ever 


LATIN  AND  GREEK  LANGUAGES.        3! 

has  been  thrown    in  the  way  of  the  propagation,  of 
ufeful  knowledge.     By  rendering  our  language  unintel 
ligible  to  the  greateft   part   of  the   people  who  hear 
or  read  it,   it  has   made  it    an   improper    vehicle   of 
inftruction.     The  orations    of  Demofthenes,  we  arc 
told,  were,  like  earthquakes  in  ancient  Greece.     They 
moved  whole  nations.     The   reafon  of  this   is   plain. 
He  never  ufed  a  (ingle   word   in  any   of  them,    but 
what  was  alike  intelligible  to  all   clafles  of  his  hearers. 
The  effect  of  Indian  eloquence  upon  the  councils  and 
wars  of  the    favages    in  America,    depends    wholly 
upon  its  being  perfectly  underflood  and  felt  by  every 
member  of  their  communities.     It    has    often    been 
remarked   that    in   England     no  play    will     fucceed 
without  action,  while  fentiment  alone    infures     the 
loudcfl   claps  of  applaufe,  in  the  theatres  of  France* 
The  reafon  of   this  is  obvious.      The     Englifh  lan 
guage    requires    action  to    tranflate    it,    to    half  the 
common  audience  of  a  theatre,    whereas  the  French 
language,   which  is  uniform    and   ftationary,    is  im- 
derftood,    and,  of  courfe,  the     fentiment    which     is 
conveyed  by  it,  is  felt  arid  enjoyed    by  all  who   hear 
if .-.    The    writings    of  Voltaire  are   quoted   by  the 
hairdreflers  and  milliners  of  Paris,  becaufe  they  are 
written  in    the  fimple  language  of  the  country,  while 
many  of  the  moft  celebrated    Britifn  authors   cannot 
be  underftood  by  common  readers,  without  the  help 
of  a   dictionary    or    interpreter.         Richardfon    and 
Fielding   are    an  exception   to   this  remark.        They 
are  alike  intelligible  and  acceptable  to  the  learned  and 


32  OBSERVATIONS    ON   THE   STUDY    OF    THE 

unlearned,,  mafmuch  as  they  have  conveyed  all  their 
ideas  in  plain,  but  decent  Englifh  words.  The  po 
pularity  of  the  methodift  preachers  may  be  afcribed 
in  part  to  their  fpeaking  in  a  language  that  is  intel 
ligible  to  the  common  people.  It  is  true,  many  of 
them  are  deficient  in  education,  but  this  deficiency 
appears  more  in  an  ignorance  of  the  conftrudlion  of 
the  Englifh  language,  than  in  the  proper  ufe  of 
Englifh  words,  and  perhaps  this  may  be  afcribed 
chiefly  to  their  extempore  mode  of  preaching.  It  is 
happy  for  fome  of  thofe  churches  where  the  Latin  and 
Greek  languages  are  confidered  as  neceflary  parts  for 
education  in  their  clergy,  that  part  of  the  public  worfliip 
of  God  is  confined  to  reading  the  fcriptures,  and  to 
forms  of  prayer,  both  of  which  are  written  in  Englifh, 
and  are  intelligible  to  every  clafs  of  hearers.  Such 
congregations  are  not  left  to  the  mercy  of  their  preach 
ers  in  every  part  of  divine  fervice.  A  pious  woman 
in  London  who  heard  her  minifter  fpeak  of  the  Deity, 
by  the  name  of  the  great  Philanthropift,  afked  when 
ihe  came  home,  what  heathen  god  Philanthropifl  was  ? 
There  are  few  fermons  compofed  by  Latin  and  Greek 
fcholars  in  which  there  are  not  many  hundred  words, 
that  are  equally  unintelligible  to  a  majority  of  their 
hearers.  Hence  I  cannot  help  thinking  that  were  John 
the  Baptifl  to  appear  again  w  our  world,  and  to  fend 
to  fome  of  our  doctors  of  divinity,  or  to  many  of  our 
young  preachers  to  enquire  after  the  ilgns  of  their 
divine  miiljor,  few  of  th^ni  could  adopt  the  anfrvcr 


LATIN  AND  GREEK  LANGUAGES.        %$ 

of  our  Saviour  and  fay  that  to  the  poor  the  gofpel  was 
"  preached."  It  will  require  a  total  ignorance  of  the 
Latin  and  Greek  languages,  or  an  uncommon  mixture 
of  good  fenfe  and  piety  in  a  preacher  who  is  acquaint 
ed  with  them,  to  addrefs  an  audience  in  fuch  a  manner 
as  to  be  perfectly  underftood  by  the  illiterate  part  of 
them. 

I  wifh  to  prefs  the  con  federations  that  •  have  been 
mentioned  under  this  head,  home  to  the  feelings  of 
the  friends  of  virtue  and  religion.  It  has  been  demon- 
flrated,  that  the  ftudy  of  the  ancient  clafiics  is  hurtful 
to  niorals.  It  is  equally  plain  that  the  corruption  of 
our  language  by  the  conflant  fubftitution  of  words  of 
Greek  and  Latin  origin,  to  thofe  which  had  become 
familiar  and  univerfal,  from  long  ufuge,  has  greatly  re^- 
tarded  the  progrefs  of  knowledge  of  all  kinds,  but  in 
a  more  efpecial  manner,  a  great  proportion  of  that 
fpecies  of  it  which  is  delivered  from  the  pulpit.  I 
appeal  to  the  confciences  of  minifters  of  the  gofpel  of 
all  denominations,  whether,  inftead  of  expofmg  their 
their  candidates  for  the  miniftry,  to  temptation  from 
that  kind  of  learning  «  which  pufreth  up,  without 
«  edifying,"  it  would  not  be  better  to  direft  them 
to  employ  the  time  which  is  ufually  mif-pent  in 
acquiring  it,  in  (tudying  the  fcriptures,  and  in  making 
themfelves  mafters  of  the  Englifh  language  ?  It  is  im- 
pofllble  to  tell  what  great  improvements  would  be  made 
by  thefe  means  in  moral  happinefs  in  the  United 
States. 

F 


34  OBSERVATIONS    ON    THE    STUDY    OF 

4.  We  are  told  that  a  knowledge  of  the  Greek  and 
Roman  languages,  is  neceflary  to  enable  us  to  under- 
ftand  the  frequent  allufions  that  are  made  by  Englim 
writers  to  the  mythology  of  thofe  ancient  nations. 
To  this  I  anfwer,  that  the  lefs  we  know  of  this  fubjec~t, 
the  better  •,  for  what  is  the  hiftory  of  the  ancient  fables, 
but  an  agreeable  defcription  of  frauds -Crapes — and 
murders,  which,  while  they  pleafe  the  imagination, 
{hock  the  moral  faculty  ?  Ic  is  high  time  to  ceafe  from 
idolizing  the  idolatry  of  Greece  and  Rome.  Truth 
alone  is  knowledge,  and  fpending  time  in  fludying 
Greek  and  Roman  fictions,  is  only  labouring  to  be 
more  ignorant.  If  there  is  any  moral  contained  in 
thefe  fictions,  it  is  fo  much  involved  in  obfcurity,  as 
not  to  be  intelligible  to  a  young  man  at  that  time  of 
life  in  which  he  ufually  becomes  acquainted  with  them. 
Happy  will  it  be  for  the  prefent  and  future  generations, 
if  an  ignorance  of  the  Latin  and  Greek  languages, 
fhould  bamfh  from  modern  poetry,  thofe  difgraceful 
invocations  of  heathen  gods,  which  indicate  no  lefs  a 
want  of  genius,  than  a  want  of  reverence  for  the  true 
God.  I  (hall  only  add  in  this  place,  that  the  beft 
writers  in  the  Englifh  language  feldom  borrow  allu 
fions  from  the  mythology  of  the  Greek  or  Roman 
nations.  Richardfon  and  Fielding  have  pafled  them  by, 
and  hence  arifes  another  reafon  why  the  works  of  thofe 
authors  are  fo  uriiverfally  intelligible  and  acceptable  to 
!  to  all  claiTes  of  readers. 


LATIN  AND  GREEK  LANGUAGES.        35 

5.  It  has  been  faid,  that   the   Latin    language    has 
become  a    neceflary  part  of  liberal  knowledge,   inas 
much  as  the  European  nations  have  by  common    con- 
fent  made  it  the  vehicle    of  their    difcoveries.      This 
argument  had  fome  weight  while  fcience  confiiled  on 
ly  learning  what  was  known  ;  but  fince  the    enquiries 
of  philofophers  have  been  directed  to   new  objects  of 
obfervation   and  experiment,  the  Latin  language  has 
not  been  able  to  keep  pace  with   the    number  and  ra 
pidity  of  their  difcoveries.      Where  mall  we  find  Latin 
words  to  convey  juft  ideas  of  the   many  terms  which 
electricity— chemiftry — navigation — and    many  other 
fcience s  have  introduced  into  our   modern  languages  ? 
It  is  from  experience  of  the  infufficiency  of  the  Latin 
language  for  this  purpofe,  that  mod  of  the  modern  na 
tions  of  Europe  have  been  obliged  to  adopt    their   own 
languages,  as  the   vehicles  of     their     difcoveries,    in 
fcience.     If  this  argument  had  been  acknowledged  to 
have  weight  in  Europe,  it  mould,  from    local    circum- 
flances,  have  no  weight  in  America.     Here    we    have 
no  intercourfe  with  any  part  of  Europe,  except  her  com-i 
mercial  feaports,  and  in  thefe,   all  bufmefs  is    tranf- 
acted  in  modern   languages.     America,  with   refpect 
to  the  nations  of  Europe,  is    like    the    new    planet, 
with  refpe6l  to  thofe,  whofe  revolutions   have    long 
been  defcribed  in  the  folar  fyflem.     She  is  placed  at 
too  great  a  diftance  from  moft  of  them,  to  be  within 
the  influence  of  a  reciprocal  exchange  of  the  rays  of 
knowledge.     Like  a  certain  animal,  defcribed  by  the 


36  OBSERVATIONS    ON*   THE    STUDY    OF  -THE 

nr.turalifts,  me  muft  impregnate  herfelf.  But  while 
fhe  retains  a  friendly  intercourfe  with  Great  Britain, 
al]  the  valuable  difcoveries  which  are  publifhed  in  Latin, 
in  any  part  of  Europe,  will  be  tranfrnitted  to  her 
through  the  medium  of  Englifh  tranflarions. 


fe 


6.  It  has  been  faid  that  a  knowledge  of  the  Latin 
and  Greek  languages  is  necefTary  to  the  learned  pro- 
fcffions  of  la\v — phyfic — and  divinity.  To  this  I  an- 
fwer,  that  the  molt  ufeful  books  in  each  of  thefe  pro- 
feffions  are  now  tranflated,  or.  written  in  Englifh,  in 
confcquence  of  which,  knowledge  in  law — phyfic — 
and  divinity  has  been  greatly  multiplied  arid  extended. 
I  fee  no  life  at  prefent  for  a  knowledge  of  the  Latin 
ai:u  Greek  languages,  fora  lawyer,  a  phyfician,  or  a 
jHvine,  in  the  United  States,  except  it  be  to  facilitate 
the  remembrance  of  a  few  technical  terms  which  may 
be  retained  without  it.  Two  of  the  moft  celebrated  and 
fuccefsful  la wyers  in  the  United  States,  are  flrangers 
to  the  Latin  language.  An  eminent  phyfician,  wjio 
/pent  feveral  of  the  years  of  his  youth  in  learning  this 
language,  has  affured  me,  that  he  had  not  more  than 
three  times  in  his  life  found  any  advantage  from  it. 
'  Very  few  phyficians,  I  believe,  (profeflbrs  of  medecinc 
.only  executed,  who  are  obliged  to  review  Latin  thefes 
.'previoufly  to  their  publication)  retain  their  knowledge 
of  this  language,  after  they  become  eftablifhcd  in  bufi- 
n;-fs7  and  if  they  do,  it  is  preferred  lefs  from  neceffity, 
than  from  vanity,  or  a  defirv  of  reviving,  by  reading 


LATIN  AND  GREEK  LANGUAGES.        37 

the  daffies,  the  agreeable  ideas  of  the  early  and  inno 
cent  part  of  their  lives. 

I  know  that  it  is  commonly  believed,  that  a  know 
ledge  of  the  Greek  language,  is  neceflary  to  enable  a 
divine  fully  to  underiland  the  New  Teftament.  But 
I  object  to  this  opinion,  that  the  mod  ufeful  and  ne- 
ccfiary  parts  of  this  divine  book  are  intelligible  to  the 
lowed  capacities  in  its  prefent  Englifh  drefs :  and  I 
believe  further,  that  there  have  been  as  many  difputes 
among  the  critics,  about  the  meaning  of  words,  and 
about  editions  and  transitions  of  the  New  Teftament, 
as  there  have  been  among  unlearned  chriftians  about 
the  meaning  of  its  obfcure  and  difficult  paffages.  If 
a  knowledge  of  the  Greek  language  be  neceflary  to 
enable  a  divine  to  underfland  the  New  Teftament, 
it  follows,  that  a  critical  knowledge  of  all  the 
dialects  in  which  the  different  parts  of  it  were  origi 
nally  eompofed,  is  equally  neceiTary  for  the  fame  pur- 
pofe  j  and,  if  neceflary  to  a  divine,  why  not  to  the 
common  people,  for  they  are  equally  interested  in 

all  the  truths  of  revelation  ?     The  difficulties   and  ab- 

" 

furdities  into  which  we  are  led  by  this  proportion,  are 
too  obvious  to  be  mentioned. 

We  are  very  apt  to  forget  the  age  in  which  we  live. 
In  the  fifteenth  century,  all  the  knowledge  of  Europe 
was  locked  up  in  a  few  Greek  and  Latin  manufcripts. 
In  this  confined  Mate  of  knowledge,  an  acquaintance 
with  the  Latin  language  was  thought  to  be  neccflary 


38  OBSERVATIONS  ON    TFIE    STUDY  OF  THE 

to  civilize  the  human  mind — hence  the  teachers  of 
it  acquired  the  title  of  "  profefibrs  of  humanity  "  in 
the  European  univerfities.  But  we  live  in  an  age  in 
which  knowledge  has  been  drawn  from  its  dead  repo- 
fjtories,  and  diffufed  by  the  art  of  printing,  in  living 
languages,  through  every  part  of  the  world.  Huma 
nity  has  therefore  changed  fides.  Her  gentlenefs  is 
now  altogether  in  favour  of  modern  literature. 

We  forget  not  only  the  age,  but  the  country  like-r 
wife  in  which  we  live.  In  Europe  many  ancient  con- 
ftitutions — -laws — treaties — official  letters — and  even 
private  deeds,  are  written  in  Latin — hence  the  know 
ledge  of  it  has  fometimes  been  found  ufeful  for  flates- 
men  and  lawyers — but  all  the  conftitutions,  laws, 
treaties,  public  letters,  and  private  deeds  of  tHe  United 
States,  are  written  in  Engiifh  ;  and  of  courfe  a  know 
ledge  of  the  Latin  language  is  riot  neceffary  to  un- 
derftand  them.  It  is  therefore  as  ufelefs  in  America, 
as  the  Spanift  great-coat  is  in  the  ifland  of  Cuba,  or 
the  Dutch  foot-dove,  at  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope. 

We  forget  further  the  difference  of  occupation  be 
tween  the  inhabitants  of  the  prefent,  and  of  the  fifteenth 
century.  Formerly  public  prayers  and  war  were  the 
only  bufinefs  of  man  :  but  fmce  agriculture,  manufac 
tures  and  commerce,  have  afforded  fuch  different  and 
profitable  employments  to  mankind,  there  cannot  be 
greater  folly  than  to  learn  two  languages  which  are  no 
ways  connected  with  the  advancement  of  any  of  thenv 


LAT^N  AND  GREEK  LANGUAGES.        39 

r*  I  once  thought  health,  the  greateft  bleffing  in  the 
u  world,"  faid  Mr.  Rittenhoufe  to  the  author  of  this 
eflay,  «  but  I  do  not  think  fo  now.  There  is  one  thing, 
"  of  much  greater  value,  and  that  is  time."  This 
opinion  of  our  excellent  American  philofopher,  is  true 
every  where,  but  in  a  more  efpecial  manner  in  tht 
United  States.  Here  the  opportunities  of  acquiring 
knowledge  and  of  advancing  private  and  public  intereic 
are  fo  numerous,  and  the  rewards  of  genius  and  in- 
duftry  fo  certain ,  that  not  a  particle  of  time  mould  be 
mis-fpent  or  loft.  We  occupy  a  new  country.  Our 
principal  bufinefs  mould  be  to  explore  and  apply  its 
refources,  all  of  which  prefs  us  to  enterprize  and  hafte. 
Under  thefe  circumftances,  to  fpend  four  or  five  years 
in  learning  two  dead  languages,  is  to  turn  our  backs 
upon  a  gold  mine,  in  order  to  amufe  ourfelves  in 
catching  butterflies. 

It  is  agreeable  to  hear  of  the  progrefs  of  human 
reafon  in  the  gradual  declenfion  of  the  ufual  methods 
of  teaching  the  Latin  and  Greek  language's  within  the 
laft  forty  years  in  Europe.  Formerly  boys  were 
obliged  to  commit  whole  volumes  of  Latin  and  Greek 
poetry  to  memory,  as  the  only  means  of  learning  thofe 
languages.  Nor  was  this  all  ;  they  were  obliged  to 
compofe  Latin  verfes,  without  the  lead  regard  being 
paid  to  genius,  or  tafte  for  poetry.  The  lafi  acl:  of 
fchool  tyranny,  was  to  compel  boys  to  read  the  ancient 
clafiics  without  the  help  of  tranflations.  All  thefe 
methods  of  teaching  the  dead  languages  are  now  laid 


40  OBSERVATIONS    ON    THE  STUDY    OF  THE 

afide.  The  next  ray  of  truth  that  irradiates  human 
reafon  upon  this  fubje£t,  I  hope  will  teach  us  to  reject 
the  Latin  and  Greek  languages  altogether,  as  branches 
of  a  liberal  education. 

The  progrefs  of  human  reafon  mould  likewife  be 
acknowledged  in  having  banifhcd  Latin  and  Greek 
quotations  from  fermons,  and  other  religious  tracts, 
which  are  intended  for  the  common  people.  Such 
quotations  are  to  be  found  only  in  books  of  fcience, 
addrefied  to  the  members  of  the  learned  profeffions,  or 
to  perfons  who  are  fuppofed  to  be  acquainted  with  the 
Latin  and  Greek  languages. 

There  are  certain  follies,  like  the  objects  of  fight, 
which  cannot  be  feen .  when  the  eye  is  placed  too  near 
them.  We  are  flruck  with  pity  and  horror  in  con 
templating  the  folly  difcovered  by  our  anceflors  in  their 
military  expeditions  to  the  holy  land  of  Paleftine.  The 
generations  which  are  to  follow  us,  will  probably  view 
our  partiality  to  the  clafiic  ground  of  Greece  and  Rome, 
with  fimilar  emotions.  We  laugh  at  the  credulity  of 
thofe  nations  who  worfhipped  apes  and  crocodiles, 
without  recollecting,  that  future  ages  will  treat  our 
fuperftitious  veneration  for  the  ancient  poets  and  ora 
tors,  with  the  fame  ridicule.  Pofterity,  in  reading  the 
hiitory  of  the  American  revolution,  will  wonder  that 
in  a  country  where  fo  many  exploits  of  wifdom  and 
virtue  were  performed,  the  human  understanding  was 
fettered  by  prejudices  in  favour  of  the  Latin  and  Greek 


LATIN    AND  GREEK  LANGUAGES.  4! 

languages.  But  I  hope  with  the  hiftory  of  this  folly, 
fome  hidorian  will  convey  to  future  generations,  that 
many  of  the  mod  active  and  ufeful  characters  in 
accomplifhing  this  revolution,  were  ftrangers  to  the 
formalities  of  a  Latin  and  Greek  education. 


It  is  high  time  to  diftinguifli  between  a  philofopher, 
and   a  fcholar,    between    things  and   words.       "  He 
^"  was  educated  at  the  college  of——"  faid  a  gentle 
man  to  his  friend,  fpeaking  of  a  youn'g  man  who  was 
known  to  them  both.     "  You  mean  Sir,"  replied  his- 

friend,  "he  got  his  learning  at  the  college  of ;  but 

"  as  to  education,  he  appears  to  have  received  none 
"  any  where."  This  young  man  was  an  excellent 
Latin  and  Greek  fcholar,  but  knew  nothing  of  men, 
or  things. 

Let  it  not  be  fuppofed  from  any  thing  that  has  been 
here  advanced,  that  I  wifh  the  knowledge  of  the  Latin 
and  Greek  languages  to  be  extinct  in  the  world.  Far 
from  it.  My  wifh  is  to  fee  it  preferved,  like  the  know 
ledge  of  law,  or  medicine,  as  a  diftinct  profeffion.  Let 
the  perfons,  who  devote  themfelves  to  the  ftudy  of  thefe 
languages,  be  called  linguilts,  or  interpreters,  and  let 
them  be  paid  for  their  tranflations  and  explanations  of 
Latin  and  Greek  books,  and  other  compofitions  in 
thofe  languages.  No  more  confidence  will  be  placed 
by  the  public,  in  the  members  of  this  new  profeflion, 
than  is  daily  placed  in  lawyers  and  phyficians,  in 
matters  of  much  greater  importance ;  nor  will  more 

G 


42  OBSERVATIONS    ON    THE    STUDY    OF    THE 

credit  be  given  to  tl;  jm,  than  we  are  accuftomed  to  give 
to  travellers  and  hidorians.  There  can  be  no  more 
rcafon  why  every  man  fliould  be  capable  of  translating 
or  judging  of  a  Latin  or  Greek  book,  than  there  can 
be  why  every  man  fhould  be  a  lawyer  or  a  phyfician, 
or  why  he  fhould  be  obliged  to  vifit  Conftantinople  or 
Grand  Cairo,  in  order  to  become  acquainted  with  the 
iituation  of  thefe  two  great  cities.  If  this  method  of 
preferving  and  applying  the  dead  languages  fliould  be 
adopted,  young  men  will  learn  them  as  they  do  law  and 
phyfic,  by  ferving  an  apprenticefhip,  inftead  of  going 
to  fchool. 

The  following  advantages  would  immediately  attend 
the  rejection  of  the  Latin  and  Greek  languages  as 
branches  of  a  liberal  education. 

i.  It  would  improve,  and  finally  perfect  the  Englifh 
language,  by  checking  the  increafe  of  thofe  fuperfluous 
words  which  are  derived  from  the  Latin  and  Greek 
languages.  What  ufe  have  we  for  feftivity  —  celebrity 
—  hilarity  —  amenity  —  and  a  hundred  other  duplicate 
words,  with  which  Johnfon  and  Harris  have  corrupted 
and  weakened  our  language,  and  which  are  unintelli 
gible  to  three  fourths  of  common  Englifh  readers  ? 
The  rejection  of  the  ancient  languages,  would  further 
banifh  Latin  and  Greek  words,'  fuch  as,  exitt  fecit> 

jW, 

excudit,  pinxit,acme9  'finis,  lona  fde>  ipfo  fafto,  ad  vale- 
rem>  and  a  hundred  others,  equally  difguiling,  from 
Englifh  compofitions.  It  would  moreover  prefervc 


; 
v 


LATIN  AND  GREEK  LANGUAGES. 


43 


our  language  from  encroachments  of  French  and  Ita 
lian  words,  fuch  as  eclat — amateur — douceur — en  paffant 
— corps — dilettanti — con  cuore — piano  and  many  others, 
all  of  which  impair  the  uniformity  and  dignity  of  the 
Englim  language. 

2.  The  rejection  of  the  Latin  and  Greek  langauges 
from  our  fchools,  would  produce  a  revolution  in  fcience, 
and  in  human  affairs.      That  nation  which  (hall  firfl 
{hake   off  the  fetters   of  thofe  ancient    languages,  will 
advance  further  in   knowledge,    and  in  happinefs,  in 
twenty  years,  than  any  nation  in  Europe  has  done,  in  a 
hundred. 

3.  It  will  have  a  tendency  to  deftroy  the  prejudices 
of  the   common   people   againft  fchools  and  colleges. 
The  common  people  do  not  defpife  fch  Jars,  becaufe 
they  know  more,  but  becaufe  they  know  lefs  than  them- 
iclves.     A  mere  fcholar  can  call  a  horfe,  or  a  cow,  by 
two  or  three  different  names,  but  he  frequently  knows 
nothing  of  the  qualities,    or  ufes  of  thofe    valuable 
animals. 

4.  It  would  be  the  means  of  banifhing  pride  from 
our  feminaries  of  public  education.     Men  are  generally 
molt  proud  of  thofe  things  that  do  not  contribute  to 
the  happinefs  of  themfelves,  or  others.     Ufeful  know 
ledge  generally  humbles  the  mind,  but  learning,  like 
fine  clothes,  feeds  pride,  and  thereby  hardens  the  hu 
man  heart. 


44 


OBSERVATIONS    ON    THE    STUDY    OF    THE 


5.  It  would  greatly  encreafe  the  number  of  ftudents 
in  our  colleges,  and  thereby  extend   the  benefits   of 
education  through  every  part   of  our  country.       The 
excellency  of  knowledge  wogild  then  be  obvious  to  every 
body,   becaufe  it    would   be   conilantly   applicable   to 
fame  of  the  neceffary  and  ufeful  purpofes  of  life,   and 
particularly  to  the  fecurity  and  order  of  wife  and  juft 
government. 

6.  It   would  remove   the  prefent  imrnenfe  difparity 
which  fubfifts  between  the  fexes,vin  the  degrees  of  their 
education  and  knowledge.     Perhaps  one  caufe  of  the 
mifery  of  many  families,  as  well  as  communities,  may 
be    fought   for  in  the   mediocrity  of  knowledge   of  the 
\vornen.     They  mould  know  more  or  lefsy    in  order  to 
be  happy  themfelves,   and  to   communicate   happinefs 
to  others.       By  ceafing  to  make  Latin  and    Greek  a 
necellary  part  of  a  liberal  education,  we  open  the  doors 
for  every  Ipecies  of  improvement  to  the  female  part  of 
fociety  : — hence  will  arife  new  pleafures  in  their  com 
pany, — and    hence,    too,   we    may  expect  a    general 
reformation  and  refinement,  in  the  generations  which 
arc  to    follow   us  -,  for  principles  and  manners    in  all 
focieties  are  formed  chiefly  by  the  women. 

It  may  be  afked  here,  how  fhall  we  employ  thofe 
years  of  a  boy,  that  are  now  ufually  fpcnt  in  learning 
the  Latin  and  Greek  languages  ?  I  ihall  endeavour  to 
anfwer  this  queftion  by  laying  down  a  fhort  plan  of  a 
liberal  Englifh  education.  In  this  undertaking,  I  fhall 


LATIN  AND  GREEK  LANGUAGES.         4$ 

ftrive  to  forget  for  a  while  all  the  fyftems  of  education 
I  have  ever  feen,  and  fuggefc  fuch  a  one  as  is  founded 
in  the  original  principles  of  action  in  the  human  mind. 

i.  Let  the  firft  eight  years  of  a  boy's  time  be  em 
ployed  in  learning  to  fpeak,  fpell,  read  and  write  the 
Englifh  language.  For  this  purpofe,  let  him  be  com 
mitted  to  the  care  of  a  mailer,  who  fpeaks  corre&ly  at 
all  times,  and  let  the  books  he  reads,  be  written  in  a 
fimple  and  correct  fiyle.  During  thele  years,  let  not 
an  Englifh  grammar  by  any  means  be  put  into  his 
hands.  It  is  to  moil  boys,  under  even  twelve  years 
of  age,  an  unintelligible  book.  As  well  might  we 
contend,  that  a  boy  fliould  be  taught  the  names  and 
number  of  the  humours  of  the  eye,  or  the  mufcles  of 
the  tongue,  in  order  to  learn  to  fee,  or  to  fpeak,  as  be 
taught  the  Englifh  language,  by  means  of  grammar. 
Sancho,  in  attempting  to  learn  to  read,  by  chewing  the 
four  and  twenty  letters  of  the  alphabet,  did  not  exhib 
it  a  greater  abfurdity,  than  a  boy  of  feven  or  eight  years 
old  does,  in  committing  grammar  rules  to  memory,  in 
order  to  underftand  the  Englifh  language.  Did  we 
wifh  to  defcribe  a  fhip,  fo  as  to  have  all  its  parts  perfectly 
and  fpee<lily  known,  would  we  begin  by  defcribing  its 
detached  parts  in  a  {hip-yard,  or  a  rope-walk  ?  Or  would 
we  not  firft  fix  every  part  in  its  proper  place,  and  then 
explain  the  names  and  ufes  of  thefe  parts,  by  mewing 
their  fubferviency  to  each  other?  In  like  manner,  I  af 
firm,  that  the  conftru£tion  of  our  language  fhould  be 
learned  by  a  careful  atteation  to  the  places  and  ufes  of  the 


46  OBSERVATIONS    CN    THE    STUDY    OF    THE 

different  parts  of  fpcech  in  agreeable  compofitions,  and 
not  by  contemplating  them  in  a  disjointed  ftate  in 
an  Englifh  grammar.  But  I  will  add  further,  that 
grammar  fhould  be  taught  only  by  the  ear.  Pro 
nunciation,  which  is  far  more  extenfive,  and  dif 
ficult,  is  learned  only  in  this  way.  To  teach  con 
cord  in  the  arrangement  of  words,  let  the  mafter 
converfe  with  his  pupils  as  well  as  hear  them  read, 
and  let  him  diftindHy  mark  and  correct  every  devi 
ation  from  grammatical  propriety  which  they  utter. 
This  method  of  teaching  grammar  has  been  tried  with 
fuccefs  in  the  families  of  fcvcral  gentlemen  of  my 
acquaintance.  It  is  both  rational,  and  practicable.  It 
has,  moreover,  the  authority  of  the  wife  Greeks  to  re 
commend  it.  Komer,  Xenophon,  Demofthenes  and 
Longinus,  I  believe,  were  all  taught  to  fpeak,  read, 
and  write  their  native  b.rj^u^ge,  without  the  incum- 
brance  of  a  Greek  grammar.  I  do  not  mean  by  any 
thing  that  has  been  advanced,  ro  in/innate  that  our 
pupil  fhould  not  be  inftrucled  in  the  principles  and  laws 
of  our  language.  I  have  refer  ^rt  of  know 

ledge  to  a  much  later  period  of  Ins  youth,  at  which 
time  he  will  acquire  it  a,  inc.:  as  foon  as  Mcliere's 
"  Citizen  turned  Gentleman,"  learned  to  diftinguifh 
between  profe  «nd  poetry.  He  will  find  that  he  is  in 
poffefTion  of  this  knowledge,  and  that  the  bufinefs  of 
his  mafier  will  be  only  to  give  names  to  tilings  with 
which  he  is  already  acquainted. 


LATIN  AND  GREEK  LANGUAGES.        47 

Under  this  head,  I  {hall  only  add,  that  the  perfec 
tion  of  the  ear,  as  an  avenue  of  knowledge  is  not 
fuihciently  known.  Ideas  acquired  through  that  or 
gan,  are  much  more  durable,  than  thofe  acquired 
by  the  eyes.  We  remember  much  longer  what  we 
hear,  than  what  we  fee  •,  hence,  old  men  recollect 
voices,  long  after  they  forget  faces.  Thefe  facts  are 
capable  of  great  application  to  the  bufmefs  of  educa 
tion. 

Having  provided  our  pupil  with  a  vehicle  of  know 
ledge,  by  teaching  him  to  read  and  write,  our  next 
bufmcfs  fhould  be  to  furnifh  him  with  ideas.  Here 
it  will  be  neceiTary  to  remark,  that  the  human  mind  in 
early  life  firft  comprehends  fubitances.  From  thefe  it 
proceeds  to  actions,  from  actions  to  qualities,  and 
from  qualities  to  degrees.  Let  us  therefore  in  edu 
cation,  follow  this  order  of  nature,  and  begin  by  in- 
{trucking  our  pupil  in  the  knowledge  of  fubftances,  or 
things.  For  this  purpofe,  let  us  initiate  him  into  the 
knowledge  of  the  globe  on  which  he  exilts,  by  teach 
ing  him 

2.  Natural  hiflory.  This  fludy  is  fimple  and  truly 
delightful.  Animals  of  all  kinds  are  often  the  fubje&s 
of  converfation  and  difputes  among  boys  in  their 
walks  and  diverfions.  But  this  is  nor  all  5  this  fludy 
is  the  foundation  of  all  ufeful  and  practical  knowledge 
in  agriculture,  manufactures  and  commerce,  as  well  as 
in  philofophy,  chemiftry,  and  medecine.  By  making 


48  OBSERVATIONS  ON  THE  STUDY   OF    TH£ 

natural  hiftory  the  firft  ftuciy  of  a  boy,  we  imitate 
the  conduct  of  the  fir  ft  teac'ier  of  man.  The  firft 
IcfTon  that  Adam  received  from  his  Maker  in  Para- 
difc,  was  upon  natural  hiftory.  It  is  probable  that 
the  dominion  of  cur  great  progenitor  over  the  brute 
creation,  and  every  other  living  creature,  was  founded 
upon  a  perfect  knowledge  of  their  names  and  qualities, 
for  God  appears  in  this,  as  well  as  in  other  inflances, 
to  have  a£led  by  the  inftrumentality  of  human  rea- 
ion. — Where  a  mufeum  is  wanting,  all  that  is  ne- 
ceffary  for  a  boy  to  know  of  animals  and  fifties — infects 
— trees  and  herbs,  may  be  taught  by  means  of 
prints. 

3.  Geography,  is  a  fimplc  fcience,  and  accom 
modated  to  the  capacity  of  a  boy  under  twelve  years 
of  age.  It  may  be  perfectly  underftood  by  means  of 
cards — globes — and  maps  ;  for  each  of  thcfc  modes 
of  conveying  inftrucHon,  fcizcs  upon  the  fenfes  and 
imagination.  The  frequent  application  which  a  boy 
is  obliged  to  make  of  his  knowledge  in  geography, 
in  reading,  and  converfation,  will  foon  fix  it  upon 
his  memory,  and  from. the  time  and  manner  in  which 
he  will  acquire  it,  he  will  never  forget  it. 

I  allow  four  years  to  be  employed  in  acquiring 
thefe  two  fundamental  branches  of  knowledge.  After 
our  pupil  has  become  tolerably  well  acquainted  with 
them,  he  (houJd  be  inftrucled  in  the 


LATIN   AND    GREEfc    LANGUAGES  4^ 

French  and  German  languages.  Thefe  will  be 
equally  neceffary,  whether  commerce — phyfic — law  or 
divinity  is  the  purfuit  of  a  young  man.  They  fhould 
be  acquired  only  by  the  ear.  Great  care  fhould  be 
taken  not  to  permit  him  to  learn  thefe  languages  be 
fore  he  is  twelve  years  old,  otherwife  he  will  contract 
fo  much  of  the  French  and  German  accent  as  will 
impair  the  prononciation  of  his  native  tongue* 

5.  Arithmetic,   and    fome     of    the     more    fimple 
branches  of   the  mathematics  fhould  be  acquired  be 
tween  the._jtwelfth  and  fourteenth  years  of  his  life. 

6.  Between  his    fourteenth   and   eighteenth  years, 
he   (hould  be  inftru&ed  in  grammar — oratory — critl- 
cifm — the  higher  branches  of  mathematics — philofophy 
— chemiftry— logic — metaphyfics—chronology — hifto- 
ry — government — the  principles  of  agriculture,-    and 
manufactures — and  in  every  thing  elfe  that  is  neceffary 
to  qualify  him  for  public  ufefulnefs,  or    private  hap- 
pinefs. 

7.  I  know  it  is  common  to  introduce  what  is  called 
Moral  Philofophy  into  a  fyftem  of  liberal  education.  The 
name  of  this  fcience  is  derived  from  the  Pagan  fchools. 
The   ftudy  of  it  conftituted  a   material  part  of  their 
learning.       Inftead  of  continuing    this   anti-chriftiari 
mode  of  teaching  morals,  I  would  propofe  a  courfe  of 
lectures  to  be  given  upon  the  evidences,  doctrines  and 
precepts  of  the  Chriftian  religion.     The  laft  part  of  this 

H 


50  OBSERVATIONS    ON    THE    STUDY   OF    THE 

courfe  might  be  made  to  include  the  whole  circle  of 
moral  duties,  and  from  the  connection  it  would  have 
with  the  evidences  and  doctrines  of  Chriftanity  it 
would  produce  an  impreflion  upon  the  underflanding 
which  no  time  or  circumftances  would  ever  wear  away. 
It  is  by  neglecting  to  teach  young  men  the  Chrif- 
tian  religion  as  a  fcience,  or  by  the  reparation  of  its 
morals  from  its  principles,  that  colleges  have  become  in 
fo  many  inftances  the  nurferies  of  infidelity. 


fcxtracl  of  a  letter  from  the  reverend  Mr.  James  Muir, 
principal  of  the  academy  of  Alexandria  in  Virginia,  to  the 
Author  j  dated  July  29,  1791. 

«  T  HAVE  read  with  fatisfaclidn,  in  the  Mufeum, 
JL  «  your  obfervations  on  ftudying  the  learned  lan- 
"  guages.  There  is  little  tafte  for  them  in  this  place. 
"  In  our  academy,  where  there  are  near  ninety 
"  Undents,  not  above  nineteen  are  poring  over  Latin 
"  and  Greek.  One  of  thefe  nineteen  was  lately 
«  addrefTed  by  a  fludent  of  Arithmetic  in  the  follow- 
"  ing  language — Pray,  Sir,  can  you  rcfolve  me,  by 
ft  your  Latin,  this  queftion,  If  one  bulhel  of  corn  cod 
«  four  fhillings,  what  coil  fifty  bufhels  ? — A  demand 
*'  of  this  kind  from  a  youth,  is  to  me  a  proof  of  the 
"  tafte  of  Americans  in  the  prefent  clay,  who  prefer 
**  the  nfeful  to  the  ornamental" 


r 


LATIN  AND  GREEK  LANGUAGES.       51 

ANSWrER  to  tie  foregoing  letter,  containing  further 
obfervations  upon  thejludy  of  the  Latin  and  Greek  lan 
guages. 

DEAR  SIR, 

•  T  gave  me  great  pleafure  to  find,  by  your 
polite  letter  of  July  29th,  that  my  opinions, 
upon  the  fubjecT:  of  the  Latin  and  Greek  languages, 
have  met  with  your  approbation  ;  and  that  the  young 
gentlemen  who  compofe  your  academy  had  difcovered 
fo  much  good  fenfe  in  preferring  itfeful  to  ufelefs,  or,  at 
beft,  ornamental  literature. 

I  have  read  all  the  replies  that  have  been  publiflied 
to  my  opinions  :  and  am  more  confirmed  in  the  truth 
of  them,  than  ever,  by  the  weaknefs  and  fallacy  of  the 
objections  that  have  been  made  to  them.  The  ftylc 
of  fome  of  thofe  replies  has  eftabliihed  one  of  my  pro- 
pofitions  in  the  moft  forcible  manner.  It  has  demon- 
ftrated  that  a  knowledge  of  the  dead  languages  does 
riot  confer  tafte  or  elegance  in  ths  Engliili  language, 
any  more  than  it  does  good  breeding,  or  good  temper. 
I  except  from  this  remark  the  candid  and  ingenious 
letters  publiflied  in  the  Federal  Gazette,  faid  to  be 

\vritten  by  Dr.  Sruber,  of  this  city. 
i  * 

To  perfuade  men,  that  white  is  black,  or  black,  white, 
it  is  neceflary  fometimes  to  make  them  believe  that  they 
are  grey.  The  mind  requires  a  reding  point,  in  pafling 
from  error  to  truth,  upon  many  fubje&s.  I  lhall  avail 
myfclf  of  this  weaknefs  in  human  nature,  and  take  the 


5*  OBSERVATIONS  ON    THE   STUDY  OF  THE 

liberty  of  fuggefting  a  method  of  teaching  the  Latiu 
and  Greek  languages,  which  I  conceive,  will  be  ac-* 
commodated  to  the  prefent  (late  of  the  prejudices  of 
our  countrymen  in  their  favour. 

The  Jate  Dr.  Franklin  ufed  to  fay,  that  the  learning 
of  a  dead  or  foreign  language  might  be  divided  into 
ten  parts.  That  it  required  Jive  only  to  learn  to  read 
it—Jeven  to  ipeak  it — and  the  whole  ten  to  write  it. 
Now,  when  we  confider  how  feldom  we  are  called 
upon  to  /peak  or  write  the  Latin  or  Greek  languages, 
fuppofe  we  teach  our  boys  only  to  read  them.  This 
will  cut  off  one  half  die  difficulty  of  learning  them,  and 
and  enable  a  boy  to  acquire  as  much  of  both>  in  two 
years,  as  will  be  neceflary  for  him.  He  will,  moreover, 
by  this  plan,  be  able  to  read  more  of  the  claflics  than 
are  read  at  prefent  in  our  fchools.  The  dailies  are 
now  read  only  for  the  fake  of  acquiring  a  knowledge 
of  the  conftruction  of  the  languages  in  which  they  are 
written;  but  by  the  plan  I  have  propofed,  they  would 
be  read  for  the  fake  of  the  matter  they  contained,  and 
there  would  be  time  enough  to  read  each  book  from 
its  beginning  to  its  end.  At  prefent,  what  boy  ever 
reads  all  :hc  j^Enead  of  Virgil,  or  the  Liad  of  Homer  ? 
In  fhort,  few  boys  ever  carry  with  them  from  fchool, 
any  thing  but  a  fmattcring  of  the  daffies.  They  peep 
into  a  dozen  of  them;  but  are  taught  to  attend  to  every 
thing  they  contain,  more  than  to  thcjidyeflj  which  arc 
treated  of  by  them. 


LATIN  AND  GREEK   LANGUAGES.         53 

in  the  way  I  have  propofed,  a  boy  would  be  able 
to  tranflate  all  the  Latin  and  Greek  books  he  would 
meet  with,  and  from  the  perfect  knowledge  he  would 
acquire  of  them  at  fchool,  he  would  probably  retain 
that  knowledge  as  long  as  he  lived. 

To  carry  this  mode  of  teaching  the  Latin  and  Greek 
languages  into  effect,  it  is  absolutely  neceflary  that  a 
boy  fhould  firft  be  inftructed  in  bijhry  and  geography. 
Let  him  read  an  account  of  the  rife,  progrefs,  and  fall 
of  the  Greek  and  Roman  nations;  and  examine,  upon 
maps,  the  countries  they  inhabited  and  conquered,  and 
their  languages  will  foon  become  interefting  to  him. 
The  neglect  of  this  natural  and  eafy  mode  of  inftruc- 
tion,  is  an  inverfion  of  all  order.  The  abfurdity  of  it 
was  once  happily  expofed  by  a  boy  of  eight  years  old, 
who,  with  a  Latin  Grammar  in  his  hand,  gravely  aiked 
his  father,  "  who  made  the  Latin  language,  and  what 
(t  was  it  made  for  ?"  Had  this  boy  been  previoufly 
inftructed  in  the  Roman  hiftory,  he  would  not  have 
alked  fuch  a  queilion.  Confidering  his  age,  it  was  as 
natural,  as  it  was  foolifh. 

There  is  no  play  common  among  children,  that 
ftrikes  me  with  an  idea  pf  half  the  folly  that  I  am  (truck 
with,  every  time  I  look  into  a  Latin  fchool,  and  fee 
thirty  or  forty  little  boys  pinioned  down  to  benches,  and 
declining  nouns,  conjugating  verbs,  or  writing  Latin 
verfions.  I  confider  the  higheil  attainment  in  this 
Hind  of  learning,  as  nothing  more  than  fuccefsful  dof- 


54  OBSERVATIONS    ON   THE  STUDY    OF  THE 

tards,  but  far  lefs  ufeful  than  thofe  which  are  exhibited 
in  the  ufual  athletic^excercifes  of  fchool  boys. 

By  adopting  the  plan  I  have  propofed,  a  boy  will 
not  open  a  Latin  or  Greek  book,  till  he  is  fourteen  or 
fifteen  years  old;  fo  that  the  dead  languages,  initead 
of  being  the  firft,  will  be  the  laft  things  he  will  learn 
at  fchool.  At  this  age,  he  will  learn  them  with  half 
the  trouble,  and  underftand  them  much  better  than  he 
would  have  done  at  nine  or  ten  years  of  age.  For 
though  languages  are  acquired  with  moft  eafe  by  the 
ear  under  puberty,  yet  they  ars  acquired  moft  cafily 
by  the  eygt  after  that  period  of  life.  But  there  is 
another  advantage  in  making  the  Latin  and  Greek 
languages  the  laft  things  that  are  taught  at  fchool. 
The  bent  of  a  young  man's  inclinations  is  generally 
known  at  fourteen  or  fifteen,  and  feldom  fooner.  Now 
if  he  incline  to  commerce — to  a  military — or  a  naval 
life — or  to  -a  mechanical  employment,  in  all  of  which 
it  is  agreed,  Latin  and  Greek  are  unneceflary,  it 
will  be  improper  to  detain  him  any  longer  at  fchool, 
by  which  means  much  money  will  be  faved  by  the 
parents,  and  much  time  faved  by  the  boy,  both  of 
which  arc  wafted  by  the  prefent  indifcriminate  and 
prepofterous  mode  of  teaching  the  dead  languages. 

The  idea  of  the  neceflity  of  a  knowledge  of  thofe 
languages,  as  an  introduction  to  die  knowledge  of 
the  Englilh  language,  begins  to  lofe  ground.  It  is 
certainly  a  very  abfurd  one.  We  have  feveral  Englifh 


LATIN  AND  GREEK  LANGUAGES.        55 

fchools  in  our  city,  in  which  boys  and  girls  of  twelve 
and  fourteen  years  old  have  been  tsught  to  fpeak  and 
write  our  native  language  with  great  grammatical  pro 
priety.  Some  of  thefe  children  would  difgrace  cur 
bachelors  and  mailers  of  arts,  who  have  fpent  four  or 
five  years  in  the  fludy  of  the  Latin  and  Greek  lan 
guages  in  cur  American  colleges.  It  is  true,  thefe 
Latin  and  Greek  fcholars,  after  a  while,  acquire  a 
knowledge  of  our  language  :  but  it  is  in  the  fame  flow 
way,  in  which  fome  men  acquire  a  knowledge  of  the 
forms  of  good  breeding.  Three  months  mftrudHon 
will  often  impart  more  of  both,  than  a  whole  life  fpent 
in  acquiring  them  {imply  by  imitation. 

"Where  there  is  one  Latin  fcholar,  who  is  obliged, 
in  the  courfe  of  his  life,  to  fpeak  or  write  a  Latin 
fentence,  there  are  hundreds  who  are  not  under  that 
necefiity.  Why  then  mould  we  fpend  years  in  teach 
ing  that  which  is  fo  rarely  required  in  future  life  ? 
For  fome  years  to  come,  the  reading  of  the  language, 
may  be  neceilary ;  but  a  young  man  of  fourteen  or 
fifteen,  may  be  taught  to  do  this  perfectly  in  one 
year,  without  committing  a  fingle  grammar  rule  to 
memory,  or  without  fpoiling  his  band  by  writing  a  fin 
gle  verfion. 

Much  more,  in  my  opinion,  might  be  faid  in  favour 
of  teaching  our  young  men  to  fpeak  the  Indian  lan 
guages  of  our  country,  than  to  fpeak  or  write  Latin* 
By  their  means,  they  might  qualify  themfelves  to  be 
come  ambafladors  to  our  Indian  nations,  or  introduce 


$6  OBSERVATIONS    ON    THE    SflJDY,    &C. 

among  them  a  knowledge  of  the  blcfiings  of  civilizatidrf 
and  religion. 

"We  have  lately  feeh  a  large  portion  of  power 
wrefted  from  the  lianas  of  kings  and  priefls,  and  ex- 
ercifed  by  its  lawful  owners.  1$  it  not  high  time  to 
wreft  the  power  over  the  education  of  our  youth,  out 
of  the  hands  of  ignorant  or  prejudiced  fchool mailers,  and 
place  it  in  the  hands  of  men  of  more  knowledge  and 
experience  in  the  affairs  of  the  world  ?  We  talk  much 
of  oar  being  an  enlightened  people  ;  but  I  know  not 
with  whatreafon,  while  we  tolerate  a  fyflem  of  educa 
tion  in  our  fchools,  which  is  as  difgraceful  to  the 
human  underftandbg  as  the  moft  corrupt  tenets  or 
practices  of  the  pagan  religion,  or  of  the  Turkifh  go-* 
vernment. 

"With  great  refpecl:  for  your  chara£ler,  as  well  as  for 
your  prcfent  honourable  and  ufeful  employment,  I 
am,  dear  fir, 

Your  friend  and  moft  obedient  fervant. 

BENJAMIN    RUSH. 

Philadelphia,    ^-itgnjl      24,    1791.- 


THOUGHTS   UPON    THE  AMUSEMENTS    AND  PUNISH- 

ML-NTS     WHICH    ARE    PROPER.    FOR    SCHOOLS.       AD 
DRESSED  TO  GEORGE  CLYMER, 


DEAR  SIR, 

THE  laft  time  I  had  the  pleafure  of  being  in 
your  company,  you  did  me  the  honour  to  re- 
queil  my  opinion  upon  the  AMUSEMENTS  and  PUNISH 
MENTS  which  are  proper  for  fchools  The  fubje&s 
are  of  a  very  oppofite  nature,  but  I  {hall  endeavour 
to  comply  with  your  wiftiss,  by  fending  you  a  few 
thoughts  upon  each  of  them.  I  am  fure  you  will 
not  reject  my  opinions  becaufe  they  are  contrary  to 
received  practices,  for  I  know  that  you  are  accuf- 
tomed  to  think  for  yourfelf,  and  that  every  propo- 
fition  that  has  for  its  objects  the  interefts  of  humanity 
and  your  country,  will  be  treated  by  you  with  atten 
tion  and  candor. 

I  fhall  begin  with  the  fubjech  of  AMUSEMENTS. 
Montefquieu  informs  us  that  the  exercifes  of  the  laft 
day  of  the  life  of  Epaminoridas,  were  the  fame  as  his 
amufements  in  his  youth.  Herein  we  have  an  epi 
tome  of  the  perfection  of  education.  The  amufe 
ments' of  Epaminondas  were  of  a  military  nature; 
but  as  the  profeffion  of  arms  is  the  bufmefs  of  only 
a  fmall  part  of  mankind,  and  happily  much  lefs 

I 


58  ON  THE  AMUSEMENTS  AND  PUNISHMENTS 

neceffary  in  the  United  States  than  in  ancient 
Greece,  I  would  propofe  that  the  amufcments  cf  our 
youth,  at  fchool,  fhould  confift  of  fuch  exercifes  ab 
will  be  moft  fubfervient  to  their  future  employments 
in  life.  Thefe  are;  i.  agriculture;  2.  mechanical 
occupations;  and  3.  the  bufmcfs  of  the  learned  pro - 
fefiions. 

I.  There  is    a  variety  in  the  employments    of  agri 
culture   which    may  readily  be   fuited  to  the    genius, 
tafte,  and  ftrength  of  young  people.     An  experiment 
has  been  made  of  the  efficacy  of  thefe  employments, 
as  amufements,  in  the    Methodift  College  at    Abing- 
ton,   in  Maryland ;   and,  I  have  been  informed,   with 
the  happieft  effects.     A  large  lot  is    divided  between 
the  fcholars,  and  premiums  are  adjudged  to   thofe  of 
them  who  produce    the    moft   vegetables  from  their 
grounds,  or  who  keep  them  in  the  beft  order". 

II.  As  the  employments   of  agriculture    cannot   af 
ford  amufement  at  all  feafons  of  the  year,  or  in  cities 
I  would   propofe,  that   children  (liould  be    allured   to 
to   feek  amufements  in  fuch    of  the  mechanical  arts 
as  are  fuited  to  their  ftrength  and  capacities.     Where 
is  the    boy  who  does  not  delight  in  the  ufe  of  a  ham 
mer — a  duffel — or  a  faw  ?  and  who   has  not  enjoy 
ed    a  high  degree  of  pleafure  in  his  youth,   in  con- 
ftru&ing  a  miniature  houfe  ?     How  amufmg  are  the 
machines  which  are  employed    in  the   manufactory  of 
doathing  of  all  kinds  !   and  how  full  of  various  en- 


PROPER    FOR    SCHOOLS.  59 

tettainment  are  the  mixtures  which  take  place  in  the 
chemical  aits  !  each  of  thcfe  might  be  contrived  upon 
fuch  a  fcale,  as  not  only  to  amufe  young  people,  but 
to  afford  a  profit  to  their  parents  or  mailers.  The 
Moravians,  at  Bethlehem  in  our  flate,  have  proved 
that  this  propofition  is  not  a  chimerical  one.  All  the 
amufements  of  their  children  are  derived  from  their 
performing  the  fubordinate  parts  of  feyeral  of  the 
mechanical  arts ;  and  a  confiderable  portion  of  the 
wealth  of  that  worthy  and  happy  fociety  is  the  pro 
duct  of  the  labour  of  their  little  hands. — 

If,  in  thefe  amufements,  an  appeal  (hould  be 
made  to  that  fpirit  of  competition  which  is  fo  com 
mon  among  young  people,  it  would  be  the  means  of 
producing  more  pleafure  to  the  children,  and  more 
profit  to  all  who  are  connected  with  them  The 
wealth  of  thofe  manufacturing  towns  in  England, 
which  employ  the  children  of  poor  people,  is  a  proof 
of  what  might  be  expected  from  connecting  amufe- 
ment  and  labour  together,  in  all  our  fchools.  The 
product  from  the  labour  obtained  in  this  way,  from 
all  the  fchools  in  the  United  States,  would  amount 
to  a  fum  which  would  almoft  exceed  calculation. 

III.  To  train  the  youth  who  are  intended  for  the 
learned  profefiions  or  for  merchandize,  to  the  duties 
of  their  future  employments,  by  means  of  ufeful 
amufements,  which  are  related  to  thofe  employments, 
will  be  impracticable  ;  but  their  amufements  may  be 


60         ON    THE   AMUSEMENTS    AND   PUNISHMENTS 

derived  from  cultivating  a  fpot  of  ground  ;  for  where 
is  the  lawyer,  the  phyfician,  the  divine,  or  the  mer 
chant,  who  has  not  indulged  or  felt  a  paflion,  in 
fome  part  of  his  life,  for  rural  improvements  ? In 
deed  I  conceive  the  feeds  of  knowledge  in  agri-> 
culture  will  be  moft  productive,  when  they  are 
planted  in  the  minds  of  this  clafs  of  fcholars. 

I  have  only  to  add  under  this  head  ,  that  the  com 
mon  amufements  of  children  have  no  connection 
with  their  future  occupations.  Many  of  them  injure 
their  cloaths,  fome  of  them  wafte  their  flrength,  and 
impair  their  health,  and  all  of  them  prove  more  or  lefs, 
the  means  of  producing  noife,  or  of  exciting  angry 
paffions,  both  of  which  are  calculated  to  beget  vulgar 
manners.  The  Mcthodifts  have  wifely  banimed 
every  fpecies  of  play  from  their  college.  Even  the 
healthy  and  pleafurable  exercife  of  fwimming,  is  not 
permitted  to  their  fcholars,  except  in  the  prefence 
of  one  of  their  mailers. 

Do  not  think  me  too  ftricl:  if  I  here  exclude 
gunning  from  among  the  amufements  of  young  men. 
My  objections  to  it  are  as  follow. 

i  It  hardens  the  heart,  by  inflicting  unneceflary 
pain  and  death  upon  animals. 

2-  It  is  unneceflary  in  civilized  fociety,  where 
animal  food  may  be  obtained  from  domeftic  animals, 
with  greater  facility. 


PROPER    FOR    SCHOOLS.  6l 

3.  It  confumes  a  great    deal  of   time,    and    thus 
creates  habits  of  idlenefs. 

4.  It   frequently  leads  young    men   into   low,  and 
bad  company. 

5.  By  impofing  long  abftinence  from  food,  it  leads 
to  intemperance  in  eating,  which  naturally  leads  to  in 
temperance   in  drinking. 

6.  It  expofes  to  fevers,  and  accidents.     The  news 
papers  are  occafionally  rilled  with  melancholy  accounts 
of  the  latter,  and  every  phyfician  mud   have  met  with 
frequent  and  dangerous  inftances    of  the  former,  in 
the  courfe  of  his  pradice. 

I  know  the  early  ufe  of  a  gun  is  recommended  in 
our  country,  to  teach  our  young  men  the  ufe  of  fire 
arms,  and  thereby  to  prepare  them  for  war  and  battle. 
But  why  mould  we  infpire  our  youth,,  by  fuch  exer- 
cifes,  with  hoflile  ideas  towards  their  fellow  crea 
tures  ? — Let  us  rather  inftill  into  their  minds  fenti- 
ments  of  univerfal  benevolence  to  men  of  all  nations 
and  colours.  Wars  originate  in  error  and  vice. 
Let  us  eradicate  thefe,  by  proper  modes  of  education, 
and  wars  will  ceafe  to  be  neceflary  in  our  country. 
The  divine  author  and  lover  of  peace  '•'  will  then 
"  fufFer  no  man  to  do  us  wrong  ;  yea,  he  will  re- 
"  prove  kings  for  our  fake,  faying,  touch  not  my 
"  anointed  and  do  my  people  no  harm."  Should 
the  nations  with  whom  war  is  a  trade,  approach  our 


2         ON    THE    AMUSEMENTS   AND    PUNISHMENTS 

coafls,  they  will  retire  from  us,  as  Satan  did  from 
our  Saviour,  when  he  came  to  aflault  him  ;  and  for 
the  fame  reafon,  becaufe  they  will  "  find  nothing  in 
"  us"  congenial  to  their  malign; nit  difpofitions  ;  for  the 
flames  of  war  can  be  fpread  from  one  nation  to  ano 
ther,  only  by  the  conducting  mediums  of  vice  and 
error. 

I  have  hinted  at  the  injury  which  is  done  to  the 
health  01  young  people  by  ibmc  of  their  amufements; 
but  there  is  a  practice  common  in  all  our  fchools, 
which  does  more  harm  to  their  bodies  than  all  the 
aniuLm.nts  that  can  be  named,  and  that  is,  obliging 
them  to  fit  too  long  in  one  place,  or  crowding  too 
many  of  them  together  in  one  room.  By  means  of  the 
former,  the  growth  and  fhape  of  the  body  have  been 
impaired ;  and  by  means  of  the  latter,  the  feeds  of 
fevers  have  often  been  engendered  in  fchools.  In  the 
courfe  of  my  bufmefs,  I  have  been  called  to  many 
hundred  children  who  have  been  feized  with  indifpo- 
fitions  in  fchool,  which  evidently  arofe  from  the  ac 
tion  of  morbid  effluvia,  produced  by  the  coniined 
breath  and  perfpiration  of  too  great  a  number  of 
children  in  one  room.  To  obviate  thefe  evils,  chil 
dren  fhould  be  permitted,  after  they  have  faid  their 
leflbns,  to  amufe  themfelves  in  the  open  air,  in  fome 
of  the  ufeful  and  agreeable  exercifes  which  have  been 
mentioned.  Their  minds  will  be  ftrengthened,  as 
well  as  their  bodies  relieved  by  them.  To  oblige  a 
fprightly  boy  to  fit  feven  hours  in  a  day,  with  his 


PROPER    FOR    SCHOOLS.  j 

little  arms  pinioned  to  his  fides,  and  his  neck  unna 
turally  bent  towards  his  book }  and  for  no  crime  ' — 
what  cruelty  arid  folly  are  manifested,  by  fuch  an  ab- 
furd  mode  of  inftru&ing  or  governing  young  peo 
ple  ! 

I  come  next  to  fay  a  few  words  upon  the  mb- 
jedl:  of  PUNISHMENTS  which  are  proper  in  fchools. 

In  barbarous  ages  every  thing  partook  of  the  com 
plexion  of  the  times.  Civil,  ecclefiaftical,  military, 
and  domeftic  punifhments  were  all  of  a  cruel  nature. 
With  the  progrefs  of  reafon  and  chriftianity,  punim- 
ments  of  all  kinds  have  become  lefs  fevere.  Soli 
tude  and  labour  are  now  fubftituted  in  many  countries, 
with  fuccefs,  in  the  room  of  the  whipping-pofi  and 
the  gallows. — The  innocent  infirmities  of  human 
nature  are  no  longer  profcribed,  and  punifhed  by  the 
church.  Difcipline,  confiding  in  the  vigilance  cf 
officers,  has  leffened  the  fuppofed  necefiity  of  military 
executions  •,  and  hufbands — fathers — and  matters  now 
blufh  at  the  hiftory  of  the  times,  when  wives,  chil 
dren,  and  fervants,  were  governed  only  by  force.  But 
unfortunately  this  fpirit  of  humanity  and  civilization 
has  not  reached  our  fchools.  The  rod  is  yet  the 
principal  inftrurnent  of  governing  them,  and  a  fchqol- 
mafter  remains  the  only  defpot  now  known  in  free 
countries.  Perhaps  it  is  becaufe  the  little  fubjecls  of 
their  arbitrary  and  capricious  power  have  not  been 
in  a  condition  to  complain.  I  {hall  endeavour  there- 


64        ON    THE    AMUSEMENTS    AND    PTjNISHMfcNTS 

fore  to  plead  their  caufe,  and  to  prove '  that  corpo 
ral  punifhments  (except  to  children  under  four  or 
five  years  of  age)  are  never  neceffary,  and  always 
hurtful,  in  fchools. —  The  following  arguments  I  hope 
will  be  fuilicient  to  eftablifh  this  propofition. 

1.  Children  are  feldom  fent  to    fchool   before  they 
are  capable  of  feeling  the  force  of  rational  or   moral 
obligation.     They    may    therefore    be   deterred  from 
committing    offences,   by     motives     lefs    difgraceful 
than  the  fear  of  corporal  punimments. 

2.  By  correcting  children  ior  ignorance  and  negli 
gence  in  fchool,  their   ideas  of  improper  and   immoral 
actions  are  confounded,  and  hence   the  moral   faculty 
becomes  weakened  in  after  life.     It   would   not    be 
more   cruel  or  abfurd  to  inflict  the  punifhment    of  the 
whipping-pod  upon  a  man,  for  not  drefling  fafhionably 
or  neatly,  than  it  is  to   ferule   a  boy  for  blotting  his 
copy  book,  or  mif-fpelling  a  word. 

3.  If  the  natural  affection  of  a  parent  is  fometimes 
inefficient,  to  reftrain  the  violent  effects  of  a  fudden 
guft  of  anger  upon  a  child,  how  dangerous   muft    the 
power  of  correcting  children  be  when  lodged  in   the 
hands  of  a  fchool-mafler,  in  whofe  anger  there  is  no 
mixture  of  parental   rffection  !    Perhaps  thofe  parents 
act   mod  wifely,  who  never  truft  themfelves  to  inflict 
corporal  punimments   upon    their  children,  after  they 
are  four  or  five  years  old,  but  endeavour  to  punim,  and 


PROPER  FOR  SCHOOLS.  6$ 

reclaim  them,  by  confinement,  or  by  abridging  them 
of  fome  of  theft  ufual  gratifications,  in  drefs,  food  or 
amufements. 

4.  Injuries  are  fornetimes  done  to  the  bodies, 
and  fometimes  to  the  intellects  of  children,  by  cor 
poral  punifhments.  I  recollect,  when  a  boy,  to  have 
loft  a  fchool-mate,  who  was  faid  to  have  died  in 
confequence  of  a  fevere  whipping  he  received  in  fchool. 
At  that  time  I  did  not  believe  it  pofnble,  but  from 
What  I  now  know  of  the  difproportion  between  the  vio 
lent  emotions  of  the  mind,  and  the  ftrength  of  the  body 
in  children,  I  am  difpofed  to  believe,  that  not  only 
ficknefs,  but  that  even  death  may  be  induced,  by  the 
convullions  of  a  youthful  mind,  worked  up  to  a  high 
fenfe  of  fhame  and  refentment. 

The  effects  of  thumping  the  head,  boxing  the  ears, 
and  pulling  the  hair,  in  impairing  the  intellects,  by 
means  of  injuries  done  to  the  brain,  are  too  obvious 
to  be  mentioned* 

5.  Where  there  \sjhame,  fays  Dr.  Johnfon,  there 
may  be  virtue.  But  corporal  punifhments,  inflicted  at 
fchool,  have  a  tendency  to  deftroy  the  fenfe  of  fliame, 
and  thereby  to  deftroy  all  moral  fenfibility.  The  boy 
that  has  been  often  publicly  whipped  at  fchool,  is 
under  great  obligations  to  his  maker,  and  his  parents, 
if  he  afterwards  efcape  the  whipping-pod  or  the  gal 
lows* 

K 


A 


66         ON  THF,  AMUSEMENTS  AND  PUNISHMENTS 

6.  Corporal  punifhments,  infli&ed  at  fchool,  tend 
to  beget  a  fpirit  ofviolenee  in  boys  towards  each  other, 
which  often  follows  them  through  life  ;  but  they  more 
certainly  beget  a  fpirit  of  hatred,  or  revenge,  towards 
their  matters,  which  too  often  becomes  a  ferment  of 
the  fame  baneful  pailions  towards  other  people. 
The  celebrated  Dr.  afterwards  Baron  Haller  declared, 
that  he  never  faw,  without  horror,  during  the  remain 
ing  part  of  his  life,  a  fchool-mafter,  who  had  treat 
ed  him  with  unmerited  feverity,  when  he  was  only  ten 
years  old.  A  fimilar  anecdote  is  related  of  the  famous 
M.  de  Condarnine.  I  think  I  have  known  feveral 
infhnces  of  this  vindictive,  or  indignant  fpirit,  to 
continue  towards  a  cruel  and  tyrannical  fchool-rnafter, 
in  perfons  who  were  advanced  in  life,  and  who  were 
otherwife  of  gentle  and  forgiving  difpofitions. 

7 ,  Corporal  punifliments,  inflicted  at  fchools,  beget 
a  hatred  to  inftruclion  in  young  people.  I  have  fome- 
timcs  fufpe&ed  that  the  Devil,  who  knows  how  great 
an  enemy  knowledge  is  to  his  kingdom,  has  had  the 
addrefs  to  make  the  world  believe  thatftrru/ing,  pulling 
and  boxing  cars,  cudgelling^  barfing,  &c.  and,  in  boarding- 
fchools,  a  little  ftarving>  are  all  abfolutely  necefTary 
for  the  government  of  young  people,  on  purpofe 
that  he  might  make  both  fchools,  and  fchool-mafters 
odious,  and  thereby  keep  our  world  in  ignorance;  for 
ignorance  is  the  beft  means  the  Devil  ever  contrived^ 
to  keep  up  the  number  of  his  fubjecls  in  our  world. 


PROPER  FOR  SCHOOLS.  67 

8.  Corporal  punifhments   are  not  only  hurtful,  but 
altogether  unneceflary,  in  fchools.     Some  of  the  moil 
celebrated   and  fuccesful  fchool-mafters,  that  I   have 
known,  never  made   ufe  of  them. 

9.  The  fear  of  corporal  punifliments,  by  debilitating 
the  body,    produces   a  correfponding   debility   in  the 
mind,  which  contracts  its  capacity  of  acquiring  know 
ledge.     This   capacity  is  enlarged   by  the  tone  which 
the  mind  acquires  from   the  action  of  hope,  love,  and 
confidence  upon  it;  and  all  thefe  paffions  might  eafi- 
ly  be  cherifhed,  by  a  prudent  and  enlightened  fchool- 
mafter. 

10.  As  there  mould   always  be  a   certain  ratio  be 
tween  the  ftrength  of  a  remedy,  and  the  excitability  of 
the  body  in  difeafes,  fo  there  mould  be  a  fimilar  ratio 
between  the  force  employed  in  the  government  of  a 
fcliool,   and  the   capacites    and  tempers  of  children. 
A  kind  rebuke,  like  frefli  air  in  a  fainting  fit,  is  calcu 
lated  to  acl:  upon  a  young  mind  with  more  effe£r,  than 
ftimulants  of  the  greater!  power;  but  corporal  punifli 
ments  level  all  capacities  and   tempers,  as   quack-me 
dicines    do,    all  conftitutions    and    difcafes.          They 
difhonour  and  degrade  our  fpecies  ;  for  they  fuppofe  a 
total  abfence  of  all  moral  and  intellectual  feeling  from 
the  mind.     Have  we  not  often  feen  dull  children  fuel- 
denly    improve,    by  changing   their   ichools  ?        The 
reafon    is    obvious.         The    fuccesful    teacher    only 
accommodated    his     manner    and    difcipiine    to  the 
capacities  of  his  fcholars. 


68         ON  THE  AMUSEMENTS    AND  PUNISHMENTS 

ii.  I  conceive  corporal  punimments,  inflicted  in 
an  arbitrary  manner,  to  'be  contrary  to  the  fpirit  of 
liberty,  and  that  they  fhould  not  be  tolerated  in  a  free 
government.  Why  fhould  not  children  be  proteaed 
from  violence  and  injuries,  as  well  as  white  and  black 
fervants  ? — Had  I  influence  enough  in  our  legiflature 
to  obtain  only  a  fingle  law,  it  fhould  be  to  make  the 
punifhment  for  ftriking  a  fchocl  boy,  the  fame  as  for 
afiaultmg  and  beating  an  adult  member  of  fociety. 

To  all  thefe  arguments  I  know  fome  well  difpofed 
people  will  reply,  that  the  rod  has  received  a  divine 
comrnifiion  from  the  facred  Scriptures,  as  the  inftru- 
ment  of  correcting  children.  To  this  I  anfwer  that 
the  rod>  in  the  Old  Teftament,  by  a  very  common  figure 
in  Rhetoric,  ftands  for  punimments  of  ^  kind,  juft 
as  the  fiuordy  in  the  New  Teflament,  ftands  for  the 
faithful  and  general  adminiflration  of  juflice,  in  fuch 
a  way  as  is  mod  calculated  to  reform  criminals,  and 
to  prevent  crimes 

The  following  method  of  governing  a  fchool,  I 
apprehend,  would  be  attended  with  much  better  ef 
fects,  than  that  which  I  have  endeavoured  to  fhew  to 
be  contrary  to  reafon,  humanity,  religion,  liberty,  and 
the  experience  of  the  wifeft  and  beft  teachers  in  the 
world. 

Let  a  fchcol-m  after  endeavour,  in  the  firft  place,  to 
acquire  the  confidence  of  his  fcholars,  by  a  prudent 
deportment.  Let  him  learn  to  command  his  pafllons 


PROPER  FOR  SCHOOLS.  69 

and  temper,  at  all  times,  in  his  fchool, — Let  him  treat 
the  name  of  the  Supreme  Being  with  reverence,  as 
often  as  it  occurs  in  books,  or  in  ccnverfation  with 
his  fcholars.-— Let  him  exact  a  rcfpedHul  behaviour 
towards  himfelf,  in  his  fchool ;  but  in  the  intervals  of 
fchool  hours,  let  him  treat  his  fcholars  with  gentlenefs 
and  familiarity.  If  he  fhould  even  join  in  their  amufe- 
ments,  he  would  not  loofe,  by  his  condefcenfion,  any 
part  of  his  authority  over  them.  But  to  fecure  their 
affe&ion  and  refpecl:  more  perfectly,  let  him,  once  or 
twice  a  year,  lay  out  a  frnall  fum  of  money  in  pen 
knives,  and  books,  and  difhribute  them  among  his  fcho 
lars,  as  rewards  for  proficiency  in  learning,  and  for 
good  behaviour.  If  thefe  prudent  and  popular  meafures 
fhould  fail  of  preventing  offences  at  fchool,  then  let 
the  following  modes  of  punifhment  be  adopted. 

1.  Private  admonition.     By  this  mode  of  rebuking, 
we  imitate  the  conduct  of  the  divine  Being  towards  his 
offending  creatures,  for  his  firjl  punifhment   is  always 
inflicted  privately,   by   means  of  the  Jlill  voice  of  con- 
fcience. 

2.  Confinement  after  fchool-hours  are  ended;  but 
with  the  knowledge  of  the  parents  of  the  children. 

3.  Holding  a  fmall  fign  of  difgrace,  of  any  kind,  in 
the   middle  of  the  floor,  in   the  prefence   of  a  whole 
fchool. 


yO         ON  THE  AMUSEMENTS    AND  PUNISHMENTS 

If  thefe  puniihments  fail  of  reclaiming  a  bad  boy,  he 
fhouid  be  difmiiTed  from  fchool,  to  prevent  his  cor 
rupting  his  fchool-mates.  It  is  the  bufmefs  of  parents, 
and  not  of  fchool-m afters,  to  ufc  the  kit  means  for 
eradicating  idlenefs  and  vice  from  their  children. 

The  world  was  created  in  love.  It  is  fuftained  by 
Jove.  Nations  and  families  that  are  happy,  are  made 
fo  only  by  love.  Let  us  extend  this  divine  principle, 
to  thofe  little  communities  which  we  call  fchools. 
Children  are  capable  of  loving  in  a  high  degree.  Tiiey 
may  therefore  be  governed  by  love. 

The  occupation  of  a  fchool-mafter  is  truly  dignified. 
He  is,  next  to  mothers,  the  moft  important  member  of 
civil  fociety.  Why  then  is  there  fo  little  rank  con 
nected  with  that  occupation  ?  Why  do  we  treat  it 
with  fo  much  neglect  or  contempt  ?  It  is  becaufe  the 
voice  of  reafon,  in  the  human  heart,  afibciates  with  it 
the  idea  of  defpotifm  and  violence.  Let  fchool-  mafters 
ceafe  to  be  tyrants,  and  they  will  foon  enjoy  the  refpect 
and  rank,  which  are  naturally  connected  with  their" 
profeflion. 

We  are  groily  miftaken  in  looking  up  wholly  to  cur 
governments,  and  even  to  minifters  of  the  gofpel,  to  pro 
mote  public  and  private  order  in  fociety.  Mothers  and 
fchool-maftcrs  plant  the  feeds  of  nearly  all  the  good 
•and  evil  which  exiil  in  our  world.  Its  reformation 
muft  therefore  be  begun  in  nurferies  and  in  fchools. 
If  the  habits  we  acquire  there,  were  to  have  no  influence 


PROFEll  FOR  SCHOOLS.  7  i 

upon  our  future  happinefs,  yet  the  influence  they  have 
upon  our  governments,  is  a  fufiicient  reafon  why  we 
ought  to  introduce  new  modes,  as  well  as  new  objects 
of  education  into  our  country. 

You  have  lately  been  employed  in  an  attempt  to 
perpetuate  our  exiftence  as  a  free  people,  by  eftablifh- 
ing  the  means  of  national  credit  and  defence ;  *  but 
thefe  are  feeble  bulwarks  againft  flavery,  compared 
with  habits  of  labour  and  virtue,  diifeminated  among 
our  young  people.  Let  us  eftablifh  fchools  for  this 
purpofe,  in  every  townmip  in  the  United  States,  and 
conform  them  to  reafon,  humanity,  and  the  prefent 
(late  of  fociety  in  America.  Then,  Sir,  will  the 
generations  who  are  to  follow  us,  realize  the  precious 
ideas  of  the  dignity  and  excellence  of  republican  forms 
of  government,  which  I  well  recollect  you  cherifhed 
with  fo  much  ardor,  in  the  beginning  of  the  American 
revolution,  and  which  you  have  manifefled  ever  fmce, 
both  by  your  public  and  private  condudt. 

We  fuiFer  fb  much  from  traditional  error  of  various 
kinds,  in  education,  morals,  and  government,  that  I 
have  been  led  to  wi(h,  that  it  were  pofiiblc  for  us  to 
have  fchools  eftablimed,  in 'the  United  States,  for 
teaching  the  art  of  forgetting.  I  think  three-fourths  of 
all  our  fchool- mailers,  divines,  and  legiflators  woulJ 

*  Mr.  Clymer  was  one  of  the  Representatives  of  Pennfylvania,  in  the. 
firft  Congrefs  of  the  United  States  which  ir.et  in  New  Yoik,  in  the 
y«ar  1789. 


72          ON  THE  AMUSEMENTS  AND  PUNISHMENTS 

profit  very  much,  by  fpending  two  or  three  years   in 
fuch  life ful  inftitutions. 

An  apology  may  fecm  necefT.iry,  not  only  for  the 
length  of  this  letter,  but  for  fome  of  the  opinions 
contained  in  it.  I  know  how  apt  mankind  are  to 
brand  every  propofition  for  innovation,  as  vifionary 
and  Utopian.  But  good  men  mould  not  be  difcouraged, 
by  fuch  epithets,  from  their  attempts  to  combat  vice 
and  error.  There  never  was  an  improvement,  in  any 
art  or  fcience,  nor  even  a  propofal  for  meliorating  the 
condition  of  man,  in  any  age  or  country,  that  has  not 
been  confidered  in  the  light  of  what  has  been  called, 
fince  Sir.  Thomas  More's  time,  an  Utopian  fcheme* 
The  application  of  the  magnet  to  navigation,  and  of 
fleam  to  mechanical  purpofes,  have  both  been  branded 
as  Utopian  projects.  The  great  idea  in  the  mind  of 
Columbus,  of  exploring  a  new  world,  was  long  viewed, 
in  mod  of  the  courts  of  Europe,  as  the  dream  of  a 
Vifionary  failor.  But  why  do  we  go  to  an  cient  times, 
for  proofs  of  important  innovations  in  human  affairs 
having  been  treated  as  Utopian  fchemes.  You  and 
I  recollect  the  time,  when  the  abolition  of  negro  flavery 
in  our  {late,  as  alfo  when  the  independence  of  the 
United  States,  and  the  prefent  wife  and  happy  confed 
eracy  of  our  republics,  were  all  confidered  by  many  of 
our  fober  prudent  men,  as  fubjecls  of  an  Utopian 
nature* 


PROPER    FOR    SCHOOLS.  >]$ 

If  tliofe  benefa&ors  of  mankind,  who  have  levelled 
mountains  in  the  great  road  of  human  life,  by  the 
difcoveries  or  labours  which  have  been  mentioned, 
have  beeen  ftigmatized  with  obloquy,  as  vifionary 
projectors,  why  mould  an  individual  be  afraid  of 
firnilar  treatment,  who  has  only  attempted  to  give  to 
that  road,  from  its  beginning,  a  ftraight  direction. 

If  but  a  dozen  men  like  yourfelf,  approve  of  my 
opinions,  it  will  overbalance  the  mod  illiberal  oppofi- 
tion  they  may  meet  with,  from  all  the  learned  vulgar 
of  the  United  States. 

For  the  benefit  of  thofe  perfons  who  coiifider  opinions 
as  improved,  like  certain  liquors,  by  time  -,  and  who 
are  oppofed  to  innovations,  only  becaufe  they  did  not 
occur  to  their  anceftors,  I  {hall  conclude  my  letter  with 
an  anecdote  of  a  minifter  in  London,  who,  after  em 
ploying  a  long  fermon,  in  controverting  what  he 
fuppofed  to  be  an  heretical  opinion,  concluded  it  with 
the  following  words,  "  I  tell  you,  I  tell  you  my  bre- 
"  thren, — I  tell  you  again, — that  an  old  error  is  better 

"  than  a  new  truth." 

With  great  regard  I  am, 

Dear  Sir, 

Your's  fmcerely, 
BENJAMIN    RUSH, 
Philadelphia^  Augujl  ioth,  1790. 


74  ON    THE   AMUSEMENTS,  &C. 

P.  S.  Since  writing  the  above  letter,  an  ingenious 
German  friend  of  mine  has  informed  me,  that  a  curious 
work  has  lately  appeared  in  Germany,  entitled,  <'  A 
"  treatife  on  human  mifery,"  written  by  a  Mr.  Salz- 
man,  an  enlightened  fchool-mafler,  in  which  a  finking 
view  is  given  of  the  mifery  infli&ed  upon  part  of  the 
human  race,  by  the  prefent  abfurd,  and  cruel  modes  of 
conducting  education  in  public  fchools.  The  author 
Concludes  this  part  of  his  work,  my  friend  informs  me, 
with  a  dream,  in  which  he  beholds  with  ineffable  joy, 
the  avenging  angel  defcending  from  heaven,  and  after- 
wardsvConfuming  in  an  immenfe  bonfire,  certain  abfurd 
fchool-books,  and  all  the  fcrrulrt  in th*£  world. 


THOUGHTS  UPON  FEMALE  EDUCATION,  ACCOMMODAT 
ED  TO  THE  PRESENT  STATE  OF  SOCIETY,  MANNERS, 
AND  GOVERNMENT,  IN  THE  UNITED  STATES  OiT 

AMERICA.  ADDRESSED  TO  THE  VISITORS  OF  THE 
YOUNG  LADIES'  ACADEMY  IN  PHILADELPHIA,  28th 

JULY,  1787,  AT  THE  CLOSE  OF  THE  QUARTERLY 
EXAMINATION,  AND  AFTERWARDS  PUBLISHED  AT 
THE  REQUEST  OF  THE  VISITORS. 


I 


GENTLEMEN, 

HAVE  yielded  with  diffidence  to  the  felicita 
tions  of  the  Principal  of  the  Academy,  in 
undertaking  to  exprefs  my  regard  for  the  profperity  of 
this  feminary  of  learning,  by  fubmitting  to  your  candor, 
a  few  Thoughts  upon  Female  Education. 

The  firft  remark  that  I  mall  make  upon  this  fubject, 
is,  that  female  education  mould  be  accommodated  to  the 
(late  of  fociety,  manners,  and  government  of  the  coun 
try,  in  which  it  is  conducted. 

This  remark  leads  me  at  once  to  ad4,,that  the  educati 
on  of  young  ladies,  in  this  country,  mould  be  conducted 
upon  principles  very  different  from  what  it  is  in  Great 
Britain,  and  in  fome  refpecls,  different  from  what  it  was 
when  we  were  part  of  a  monarchical  empire. 

There  are  feveral  circumftances  in  the  fituation,  em 
ployments,  and  duties  of  women  in  America,  which 
require  a  peculiar  mode  of  education. 


7<5  THOUGHTS  UPON 

I.  The  early  marriages  of  our  women,  by  contracting 
the  time  allowed  for  education,  renders  it  neceflary  to 
contract  its  plan,  and  to  confine  it  chiefly  to  the  more 
ufeful  branches  of  literature. 

II.  The  ftate  of  property   m   America,  renders  it 
neceflary  for  the  greateft  part  of  our  citizens  to  employ 
themfelves,   in  different  occupations,  for  the  advance 
ment  of  their  fortunes.     This  cannot  be  done  without 
the  affiftance  of  the  female  members  of  the  community. 
They  muft  be  the  itewards,  and  guardians  of  their 
hufbands'  property.      That  education,  therefore,  will 
be  mod  proper  for  our  women,  which  teaches  them  to 
difcharge   the  duties  of  thofe   offices  with  the  moft 
fuccefs  and  reputation, 

III.  From  the     numerous   avocations   from  their 
families,    to  which  profeffional  life  expofes  gentlemen 
in    America,    a  principal  {hare  of  the   inftruction  of 
children  naturally  devolves  upon  the  women.     It  be 
comes    us    therefore   to   prepare   them   by  a    fuitable 
education,  for  the  difcharge  of  this  moil  important  duty 
of  mothers. 

IV.  The  equal  {hare  that  every  citizen  has  in  the 
liberty,   and  the   poffible   {hare  he   may  have  in   the 
government  of  our  country,  make  it  neceflary  that  our 
ladies  {hould  be  qualified  to  a  certain  degree  by  a  pecu- 


FEMALE    EDUCATION.  77 

liar  and  fuitable  edueation,   to  concur  in  mftru&ing 
their  fons  in  the  principles  of  liberty  and  government. 

V.  In  Great  Britain  the  bufmefs  of  fervants  is  a 
regular  occupation  ;  but  in  America  this  humble  ftation 
is  the  ufual  retreat  of  unexpected  indigence;  hence 
the  fervants  in  this  country  pofifefs  lefs  knowledge  and 
fubordination  than  are  required  from  them;  and  hence, 
our  ladies  are  obliged  to  attend  more  to  the  private  af-, 
fairs  of  their  families,  than  ladies  generally  do,  of  the 
fame  rank  in  Great  Britain.  "  They  are  good  fervants," 
faid  an  American  lady  of  diftinguiflied  merit,  *  in  a 
letter  to  a  favorite  daughter,  f.  "  who  will  do  well  with 
"  good  looking  after."  This  circumftance  fliould 
have  great  influence  upon  the  nature  and  extent  of 
female  education  in  America. 

The  branches  of  literature  mod  eficntial  for  a  young 
lady  in  this  countrv,  appear  to  be, 

I.  A  knowledge    of    the    Engliih   language.     She 
mould  not  only  read,  but  fpeak  and  fpell  it   correctly. 
And  to  enable  her  to  do    this,  ihe  mould  be  taught 
the  Englim  grammar,  and  be  frequently  examined  in 
applying  its  rules  in  common  converfation. 

II.  Pleafure  and    interefl    confpire     to    make  the 
writing  of  a  fair  and  legible  hand,  a  necefTary  branch  of 
a   lady's  education.     For  this   purpofe   (he  fhould  be 

*  Mrs.  Graeme. 

^  Mrs.  Elizabeth  Fergufon. 


78  THOUGHTS   UPON 

taught  not  only  to  fhape  every  letter  properly,  but   to 
pay  the  ftri&eft  regard  to  points  and  capitals.* 

I  once  heard  of  a  man  who  profefled  to  difcover 
the  temper  and  difpofition  of  perfons  by  looking  at 
their  hand  writing.  Without  enquiring  into  the  pro 
bability  of  this  ftory;  I  mall  only  remark,  that  there 
is  one  thing  in  which  all  mankind  agree  upon  this 
fubjeft,  and  that  is,  in  confidering  writing  that  is  blot 
ted,  crooked,  or  illegible,  as  a  mark  of  vulgar  educa 
tion.  I  know  of  few  things  more  rude  or  illiberal, 
than  to  obtrude  a  letter  upon  a  perfon  of  rank  or  bufi- 
nefs,  which  cannot  be  eafily  read.  Peculiar  care 
fhould  be  taken  to  avoid  every  kind  of  ambiguity  and 
affectation  in  writing  names.  I  have  now  a  letter  in  my 
poflefiion  upon  bufmefs,  from  a  gentleman  of  a  liberal 
profeflion  in  a  neighbouring  ftate,  which  I  am  unable 
to  anfwer,  becaufe  I  cannot  difcover  the  name  which  is 
fubfcribed  to  it.  f  For  obvious  reafons  I  would  recom- 

*  The  vrefent  mode  of  writing  among  perfons  of  tafte  is  to  ufe  a  ca 
pital  letter  only  for  the  firft  word  of  a  fsntence,  and  for  names  of  perfons, 
places  and  months,  and  for  the  fir  ft  word  of  every  line  in  poetry.  The 
words  /hould  be  fo  fhaped  that  a  ftraight  line  may  be  drawn  between  two 
lines,  without  touching  the  extremities  of  the  words  in  either  of  them. 

•j-  Dr.  Franklin  received  many  letters  while  he  was  in  France  during 
the  American  war,  from  perfons  who  wifhed  to  migrate  to  America,  and 
who  appeared  to  pofiefs  knowledge  and  talents  that  would  have  been  ufe- 
fvl  to  his  country,  but  their  names  were  fubfcribed  to  their  letters  in  fa 
artificial  and  affected  a  manner,  that  he  was  unable  todecypher  them,  an$ 
•f  courle,  did  not  anfwer  t!  em. 


FEMALE  EDUCATION.  79 

mend  the  writing  of  the  firft  or  chriftian  name  at  full 
length,  where  it  ^does  not  confift  of  more  than  two 
fyllables.  Abbreviations  of  all  kind  in  letter  writing, 
which  always  denote  either  hafte  or  carleflhefs,  mould 
likewife  be  avoided.  I  have  only  to  add  under  this 
head  that  the  Italian  and  inverted  hands  which  are  read 
with  difficulty,  are  by  no  means  accommodated  to  the 
aclive  ftate  of  bufmefs  in  America,  or  to  the  fimplici- 
ty  of  'the  citizens  of  a  republic. 

III.  Some  knowledge  of  figures  and  book-keeping 
is  abfolutely  neceflary  to  qualify  a  young  lady  for  the 
duties  which  await  her  in  this  country.  There  are 
certain  occupations  in  which  fhe  may  aflift  her  hufband 
with  this  knowledge  ;  and  fliould  fhe  furvive  him,  and 
agreeably  to  the  cuftom  of  our  country  be  the  execu 
trix  of  his  will,  fhe  cannot  fail  of  deriving  irnmenfe 
advantages  from  it. 

'IV.  An  acquaintance  with  geography  and  fome  in- 
ftruc~tion  in  chronology  will  enable  a  young  lady  to 
read  hiftory,  biography,  and  travels,  with  advantage ; 
and  thereby  qualify  her  not  only  for  a  general  inter- 
courfe  with  the  world,  but  to  be  an  agreeable  com 
panion  for  a  fenfible  man.  To  thefe  branches  of 
knowledge  may  be  added,  in  fome  irtilailces,  a  general 
acquaintance  with  the  firft  principles  of  aftronomy 
natural  philofophy  and  chemiftry,  particularly,  with  fuch 
parts  of  them  as  are  calculated  to  prevent  fuperflttion, 
by  explaining  the  caufes,  or  obviating  the  effects  of 


$0  THOUGHTS    UPON 

of  natural    evil,  and  fuch,    as  .re  capable  of  being  ap 
plied   to  domeftic,  and  culinary  purpofes. 

V.  Vocal  mufic  fhould  never  be  neglecled,  in  the 
education  of  a  young  lady,  in  this  country.  Befldes 
preparing  her  to  join  in  that  part- of  public  worfhip 
which  coniifts  in  pfalmody,  it  will  enable  her  to  foothe 
the  cares  of  domeftic  life.  The  diftrefs  and  vexation 
of  a  hulband — the  noife  of  a  nurfey,  and,  even,,  the 
the  forrows  that  will  foretimes  intrude  into  her  own 
bofom,  may  all  be  relieved  by  a  fong,  where  found  and 
fenti ment  unite  to  aft  upon  the  mind.  I  hope  it 
will  not  be  thought  foreign  to  this  part  of  our  fubject 
to  introduce  a  facl:  here  which  has  been  fuggefted  to 
me  by  my  profefiion,  and  that  is,  that  the  excrcife  of 
the  organs  of  the  bread,  by  fmging,  contributes  very 
much  to  defend  them  from  thofe  difeafes  to  which  our 
climate;  and  other  caufes,  have  of  late  expofed  them. — 
Our  German  fellow  citizens  are  feldom  afflicted  with 
confumptions,  nor  have  I  ever  known  but  one  inftance 
offpitting  of  blood  among  them.  This,  I  believe,  is 
in  part  occafioned  by  the  llrength  which  their  lungs 
acquire,  by  exercifing  them  frequently  in  vocal  mufic, 
for  this  conftitutes  an  elfential  branch  of  their  educati 
on.  The  mufic-mafter  of  our  academy:};  has  furnifhed 
me  with  an  cbfcrvation  flill  more  in  favour  of  this 
opinion.  He  i'lformed  me  that  he  had  known 
fjvcr-1  X fiances  of  pcrfons  who  were  flrongly  dif- 
poled  to  the  confurcptior',  who  were  reflorefl  to  health, 
by  the  moderate  exercile  of  their  lungs  in  fmging. 

t     Mi-.  AdSate. 


FEMALE    EDUCATION.  8 1 

VI.  DANCING  is  by  no  means  an  improper   branch 
of  education   for    an    American    lady.    It    promotes 
health,  and  renders  the  figure  and  motions  of  the  body 
eafy  and  agreeable.     I  anticipate  the  time  when  the 
refources  of  converfation  (hall  be  fo  far    multiplied, 
that  the  amufement  of  dancing  {hall  be   wholly    con 
fined   to  children.     But  in  our  prefent  ftate  of  fociety 
and  knowledge,  I  conceive   it  to  be  an  agreeable  fub- 
ftitute    for    the    ignoble  pleafurea    of  drinking,  and 
gaming,  in  our  aflemblies  of  grown  people. 

VII.  The  attention  of  our  young   ladies  fhould  be 
dire&ed,  as  foon  as  they  are  prepared   for    it,  to   the 
reading  of  hiftory — travels — poetry — and  moral  effays. 
Thefe  fludies  are  accommodated,  in  a  peculiar  manner, 
to  the  prefent  ftate  of  fociety   in  America,  and  when 
a  relifh  is  excited  for  them,  in  early  life,    they  fubdue 
that  paffion  for  reading   novels,  which   fo  generally 
prevails  among  the  fair  fex.     I  cannot  difmifs  this  fpe- 
cies  of  writing  and    reading    without    obferving,  that 
the   fubje&s  of  novels  are  by  no  means  accommodated 
to  our  prefent  manners.     They  hold  up  life,  it  is  true, 
but  it  is    not  as   yet  life  in  America.     Our   paffions 
have  not  as  yet  «  overftepped  the  modefty  of  nature." 
nor  are  they    "  torn  to  tatters,"   to  ufe  the  expreflions 
of  the  poet,  by   extravagant  love,  jealoufy,  ambition, 
or  revenge.     As  yet   the  intrigues  of  a   Britim  novel, 
are  as  foreign  to  our  manners,  as  the  refinements   o£ 
Afiatic  vice.     Let  it  not  be  faid,  that  tlje  tales  of  dif- 

M 


£.2  THOUGHTS    UPOS 

trefs,  which  fill  modern  novels,  have  a  tendency  to 
foften  the  female  heart  into  a£ts  of  humanity.  The 
faft  is  the  reverfe  of  this.  The  abortive  fympathy 
which  is  excited  by  the  recital  of  imaginary  diflrefs, 
blunts  the  heart  to  that  which  is  real  j  and,  hence,  \vj 
fometimes  fee  inftances  of  young  ladies,  who  weep 
away  a  whole  forenoon  over  the  criminal  forrows  of  a 
fictitious  Charlotte  or  Werter,  turning  with  difdain 
at  three  o'clock  from  the  fight  of  a  beggar,  who  fo- 
licits  in  feeble  accents  or  figns,  a  fmall  portion  only  of 
the  crumbs  which  fall  from  their  fathers*  tables. 

VIII.  It  will  be  ncceflary  to  connect  all  thefe 
branches  of  education  with  regular  inftruclion  in  the 
chriflian  religion.  For  this  purpofe  the  principles  of 
the  different  fects  of  chriflian s  mould  be  taught  and 
explained,  and  our  pupils  mould  early  be  furniihed 
with  fome  of  the  moft  fimple  arguments  in  favour  of 
the  truth  of  chriftianity*.  A  portion  of  the  bible 
(of  late  improperly  baniftied  from  our  fchools)fhould 
bs  read  by  them  every  day,  and  fuch  queftions  mould 
be  alked,  after  reading  it  as  are  calculated  to  imprint 
upon  their  minds  the  interefling  {lories  contained  in 
it. 

Roufleau  has-  averted  that  the  great  fecret  of  edu 
cation  confifts  in  "  wailing  the  time  of  children  pro- 

*  Baron  ILillev's  letters  to  his  daughter  on  the  truths  of  the  chriftian 
religion,,  and  Dr.  Beatie's  "  evidences  of  the  chriftian  rdi^ion  briefly 
*  and  plainly  fta'ed  "  are  excellent  little  trails,  and  well  adapt? J  fur  ;hi- 
pwrpofc. 


FEMALE    EDUCATION.  Sj 

Stably."  There  is  fome  truth  in  this  obfervation.  I 
.believe  that  we  often  impair  their  health,  and  weaken 
their  capcities,  by  impofing  fludies  upon  thema  which 
are  not  proportioned  ro  their  years.  But  this  objec 
tion  does  not  apply  to  religious  inftru£tion.  There 
are  certain  fimple  proportions  in  the  chriftian  religion, 
which  are  fuited  in  a  peculiar  manner,  to  the  infant 
flate  of  reafon  and  moral  fenfibility.  A  clergyman 
.of  long  experience  in  the  inflru&ion  of  youth  f  in 
formed  me,  that  he  always  found  children  acquired 
religious  knowledge  more  eafily  than  knowledge  upon 
other  fubje£ts  ;  and  that  young  girls  acquired  this  kind 
of  knowledge  more  readily  than  boys.  The  female 
bread  is  the  natural  foil  of  chriftianity ;  and  while 
our  women  are  taught  to  believe  its  doctrines,  and  obey 
its  precepts,  the  wit  of  Voltaire,  and  the  ftile  of  Bolirig- 
broke,  will  never  be  able  to  deftroy  its  influence  upon 
our  citizens. 

I  cannot  help  remarking  in  this  place,  that  chrif 
tianity  exerts  the  moft  friendly  influence  upon  icience, 
as  well  as  upon  the  morals  and  manners  of  mankind. 
Whether  this  be  occafioned  by  the  unity  of  truth, 
and  the  mutual  afuftance  which  truths  upon  different 
fubjeds  afford  each  other,  or  whether  the  faculties  of 
the  mind  be  marpened  and  corrected  by  embracing 
the  truths  of  revelation, -and  thereby  prepared  to  in- 
veftigate  and  perceive  truths  upon  other  fubje£ts,  I 

f  The  Rev..  Mr.  NICHOLS  Coi.r.iv,  minidcr  of  the  Swcdilh  church 
in  WICOCQC. 


84  THOUGHTS    UPON 

will  not  determine,  but  I  believe  that  the  greateft 
difcoveries  in  fcience  have  been  made  by  chriftian 
philofophers,  and  that  there  is  the  mod  knowledge  in 
thofe  countries  where  there  is  the  mod  chriftianity.* 
If  this  remark  be  well  founded,  then  thofe  philofophers 
who  reject  chriftianity,  and  thofe  chriftians,  whether 
parents  or  fchool-mafters,  who  neglect  the  religious 
inftrudion  of  their  children  and  pupils,  rejeft  and  nc- 
glect  the  moil  effe&ual  means  of  promoting  know 
ledge  in  our  country. 

IX.  If  the  meafures  that  have  been  recommended 
for  infpiring  our  pupils  with  a  fenfe  of  religious  and 
moral  obligation  be  adopted,  the  government  of  them 
will  be  eafy  and  agreeable.  I  mall  only  remark  under 
this  head,  that  Jlriftnefs  of  difcipline  will  always  render 
feverity  unneceflary,  and  that  there  will  be  the  moft 
inftruclion  in  that  fchool,  where  there  is  the  moft 
order. 

I  have  faid  nothing  in  favour  of  inftrumental  mufic 
as  a  branch  of  female  education,  becaufe  I  conceive 

*  This  is  true  in  a  peculiar  manner  in  the  fcience  of  medecine.  A 
youvg  Scotch  phyfician  of  enterprizing  talents,  who  conceived  a  high  idea 
of  the  ft;^e  of  medecine  in  the  caftern  countries,  fpent  two  years  in  enqui 
ries  after  medical  knowledge  in  Condan'.inople,  and  Grand  Cairo.  On 
his  return  to  Pritain  he  confefled  to  an  American  phyfician  whom  he  met 
at  Naples,  that  after  all  his  refearches  and  travels,  he  "  had  difcovered 
"  nothing  except  a  fingle  facl  relative  to  the  plague,  that  he  thought 
"  v:orth  remembering  or  communicating."  The  fcience  of  medecine  in 
China  according  to  the  accounts  of  De  Halde  is  in  as  imperfjsft  a  ftate  at 
among  the  Indians  of  North  America. 


FEMALE    EDUCATION.  85 

it  is  by  no  means  accommodated  to  the  prefent  ftate 
of  fociety  and  manners  in  America.  The  price  of 
mufical  mflruTierits,  and  the  extravagant  fees  de 
manded  by  the  teachers  of  inftrumental  mufic,  form 
but  a  fmall  part  of  rny  objections  to  it. 

To  perform  well,  upon  a  mufical  inftrument,  re 
quires  much  time  and  long  practice.  From  two  to  four 
hours  in  a  day,  for  three  or  four  years  appropriated 
to  mafic,  are  an  immenfe  deduction  from  that  fhort 
period  of  time  which  is  allowed  by  the  peculiar  circum- 
ftances  of  our  country  for  the  acquifition  of  the  ufeful 
branches  of  literature  that  have  been  mentioned.  How 
many  ufeful  ideas  might  be  picked  up  in  thefe  hours 
from  hiftory,  philofophy,  poetry,  and  the  numerous 
moral  efiays  with  which  our  language  abounds, ,  and 
how  much  more  would  the  knowledge  acquired  upon 
thefe  fubjects  add  to  the  confequence  of  a  lady,  with 
her  hufband  and  with  fociety,  than  the  bed  performed 
pieces  of  mufic  upon  a  harpficord  or  a  guittar !  Of  the 
many  ladies  whom  we  have  known,  who  have  fpent 
the  moft  important  years  of  their  lives,  in  learning  to 
play  upon  mfcruments  of  mufic,  how  few  of  them  do 
we  fee  amufe  themfelves  or  their  friends  with  them, 
after  they  become  miftrefies  of  families  !  Their  harp- 
fichords  ferve  only  as  fide-boards  for  their  parlours, 
and  prove  by  their  filence,  that  necefiity  and  circum- 
Aances,  will  always  prevail  ever  faihion,  and  falfc 
maxims  of  education. 


8<5  YftoUGHTS    UPON 

Let  it  not  be  fuppofcd  from  thefe  obfervations  that 
I  am  infenfiblc  of  the  charms  of  inftrumental  mufic, 
or  that  I  wifh  to  exclude  it  from  the  education  of  JL 
lady  where  a  mufical  ear  irrefiftably  difpofes  to  it,  and 
affluence  at  the  fame  time  affords  a  profpe£l  of  fuch 
an  exemption  from  the  ufual  cares  and  duties  of  the 
miftrefs  of  a  family,  as  will  enable  her  to  praftife  it. 
Thefc  circumftances  form  an  exception  to  the  general 
'conduct  that  mould  arife  upon  this  fubjeft,  from  the 
prcfent  ftate  of  fociety  and  manners  in  America. 

It  is  agreeable  to  obferve  how  differently  modern 
writers,  and  the  infpircd  author  of  the  Proverbs, 
defcribe  a  fine  woman.  The  former  confine  their 
praifes  chiefly  to  perfonal  charms,  and  ornamental  ac- 
complifhmerits,  while  the  latter  celebrates  only  the  vir 
tues  of  a  valuable  miflrefs  of  a  family,  and  a  ufeful 
member  of  fociety.  The  one  is  perfectly  acquainted 
with  ail  the  fafhionable  languages  of  Europe  j  the 
other,  "  opens  her  mouth  with  wifdom"  and  is  per- 
fecYiy  acquainted  with  all  the  ufes  of  the  needle,  the 
diftaff,  and  the  loom.  The  bufinefs  of  the  one, 
is  pleafure-,  the  pleafurc  of  the  other,  is  bufinefs. 
The  one  is  admired  abroad;  the  other  is  honoured 
and  beloved  at  home.  "  Her  children  arife  up  and 
"  call  her  blefled,  her  hufDand  alfo,  and  he  praifeth  her." 
There  is  no  fame  in  the  world  equal  to  this  j  nor  is 
Llicre  a  note  in  mufic  half  fo  delightful,  as  the  refpec~t- 
ful  language  with  which  a  grateful  fon  or  daughter 


FEMALE    EDUCATION.  Sj 

perpetuates  the  memory  of  a  fenfible  and  affl'dYiomte 
mother. 

It  mould  not  furprize  us  that  Britiih  cuftoms,  with 
refpe£l  to  female  education,  have  been  tranfplantcd 
into  our  American  fchools  and  families.  We  fee  marks 
of  the  lame  incongruity,  of  time  and  place,  in  many 
other  things.  We  behold  our  houfes  accomodated  to 
the  climate  of  Great  Britain,  by  eaitern  and  wefrern 
directions.  We  behold  our  ladies  panting  in  a  heat 
of  ninety  degrees,  under  a  hat  and  cumion,  which  were 
calculated  for  the  temperature  of  a  Britim  fumrner, 
We  behold  our  citizens  condemned  and  punifhed  by 
a  criminal  law,  which  was  copied  from  a  country, 
where  maturity  in  corruption  renders  public  executions 
a  part  of  the  amufements  of  the  nation.  It  is  high 
time  to  awake  from  this  fervility — to  fludy  our  own 
character — to  examine  the  age  of  our  country — and 
to  adopt  manners  in  every  thing,  that  fhall  be  accomo 
dated  to  our  ftate  of  fociety,  and  to  the  forms  of  our 
government.  In  particular  it  is  incumbent  upon  us  to 
make  ornamental  accomplifhments  yield  to  principles 
and  knowledge,  in  the  education  of  our  women. 

A  philofopher  cncc  faid  "  let  me  make  all  the  bal- 
"  lads  of  a  country  and  I  care  not  who  makes  its  laws.'* 
He  might  with  more  propriety  have  faid,  let  the  ladies 
of  a  country  be  educated  properly,  and  they  will 
not  only  mike  and  adminifler  its  laws,  but  form  its 
manners  and  character.  It  would  rvquire  a  lively 
imaginaiton  to  defcribe,  or  even  to  comprehend,  the 


g<3  THOUGHTS  UPON 

happinefs  of  a  country,  where  knowledge  and  virtue, 
were  generally  diffufed  among  the  female  fex.  Our 
young  men  would  then  be  retrained  from  vice  by  the 
terror  of  being  banimed  from  their  company.  The 
loud  laugh,  and  the  malignant  fmile,  at  the  expence 
of  innocence,  or  of  perfonnl  infirmities — the  feats  of 
fuccefsful  mimickry— and  the  low  priced  wit,  which 
is  borrowed  irom  a  mifapplication  of  fcripture  phrafes, 
would  no  more  be  confidered  as  recommendations 
to  the  fociety  of  the  ladies.  A  double  entendre  in 
their  prefence,  would  then  exclude  a  gentleman  forever 
from  the  company  of  both  fexes,  and  probably  oblige 
him  to  feek  an  afylum  from  contempt,  in  a  foreign 
country.  The  influence  of  female  education  would 
be  ftill  more  extenfive  and  ufeful  in  domeflic  life. 
The  obligations  of  gentlemen  to  qualify  themfelves 
by  knowledge  and  induftry  to  difcharge  the  duties 
of  benevolence,  would  be  encreafed  by  marriage  •,  and 
the  patriot — the  hero- — and  the  Jegiflator,  would  find 
the  fweetcft  reward  of  their  toils,  in  the  approba 
tion  and  applaufc  of  their  wives.  Children  would  dif- 
ccver  the  marks  of  maternal  prudence  and  wifdom 
in  every  ftation  of  Hie  ;  for  it  has  been  remarked  that 
there  have  been  few  great  or  good  men  who  have  not 
been  blefi'xl  with  wile  and  prudent  mothers.  Cyrus 
was  taught  to  revere  the  gods,  by  his  mother  Mandane 
— Samuel  was  devoted  to  his  prophetic  office  before  he 
\vas  born,  by  his  mother  Hannah — Conftantine  was 
refcued  from  paganifm  by  his  mother  Conftantia — and 
Edward  the  fixth  inherited  thofe  great  and  excellent 


FEMALE    EDUCATION.  89 

qualities  which  made  him  the  delight  of  the  age  in 
wliich  he  lived,  from  his  mother,  lady  Jane  Seymour. 
Many  other  inftances  might  be  mentioned,  if  necefiary, 
from  ancient  and  modern  hiftory,  to  eftablifh  the 
truth  of  this  propofition. 

I  am  not  enthufiaftical  upon  the  fubjeft  of  educati 
on.  In  the  ordinary  courfe  of  human  affairs,  we  mall 
probably  too  foon  follow  the  footfteps  of  the  nations 
of  Europe  in  manners  and  vices.  The  firft  marks  we 
fhall  perceive  of  our  ddclenfion,  will  appear  among 
our  women.  Their  idlenefs,  ignorance,  and  profli 
gacy  will  be  the  harbingers  of  our  ruin.  Then  will 
the  character  and  performance  of  a  buffoon  on  the 
theatre,  be  the  fubjecl:  of  more  converfation  and  praife, 
than  the  patriot  or  the  minifter  of  the  gofpel  ; — then 
will  our  language  and  'pronunciation  be  enfeebled  and 
corrupted  by  a  flood  of  French  and  Italian  words  ; — then 
will  the  hiftory  of  romantic  amours,  be  preferred  to  the 
pure  and  immortal  writings  of  Addifon,  Hawkefworth 
and  Johnfon  ; — then  will  our  churches  be  neglected, 
and  the  name  of  the  fupreme  being  never  be 
called  upon,  but  in  profane  exclamations  ; — then  will 
bur  Sundays  be  appropriated,  only  to  feafts  and 
concerts  ? — and  then  will  begin  all  that  train  of 

domeflic  and   political  calamities- But,    I    forbear. 

The  profpecT:  is  fo  painful,  that  I  cannot  help,  fi= 
lently,  imploring  the  great  arbiter  of  human,  af 
fairs,  to  interpofe  his  almighty  goodnefs,  and  to  de.f 

N 


t?O  THOUGHTS   UPON 

liver  us  from  thefe  evils,  that,  at  lead  one  fpot 
of  the  earth  may  be  referved  as  a  monument  of  the 
effects  of  good  education,  in  order  to  (hew  in  fome 
degree,  what  our  fpecies  was,  before  the  fall,  and  what 
it  fhall  be,  after  its  refioration. 

Thus,  gentlemen,  have  I  brieftly  finiflied  what  I 
propofed.  If  I  am  wrong  in  thofe  opinions  in  which 
I  have  taken  the  liberty  of  departing  from  general  and 
famonable  habits  of  thinking,  I  am  fure  you  will  dif- 
cover,  and  pardon  my  miltakes.  But  if  I  am  right,  I 
am  equally  fure  you  will  adopt  my  opinions  ;  for  to 
enlightened  minds  truth  is  alike  acceptable,  whether 
it  comes  from  the  lips  of  age,  or  the  hand  of  antiquity, 
or  whether  it  be  obtruded  by  a  perfon,  who  has  no 
other  claim  to  attention,  than  a  defire  of  adding  to  the 
ftock  of  human  happinefs 

I  cannot  difmlfs  the  fubjecl:  of  female  education 
without  remarking,  that  the  city  of  Philadelphia  firft 
faw  a  number  of  gentlemen  aflbciated  for  the  purpofe 
of  directing  the  education  of  young  ladies.  By  means 
of  this  plan,  the  power  of  teachers  is  regulated  and 
reftrained,  and  the  objects  of  education  are  extended. 
By  the  feparation  of  the  fexes  in  the  unformed  flate 
of  their  manners,  female  delicacy  is  cherifhed  and 
preferved.  Here  the  young  ladies  may  enjoy  all  the 
literary  advantages  of  a  boarcling-fchool,  and  at  the 
fame  time  live  under  the  protection  of  their  pa- 


FEMALE      LD'JCATION.  9! 

rents*.  Here  emulation  may  be  excited  without 
jealoufy, — ambition  without  envy, — and  competition 
without  ftrife.  The  attempt  to  eftabliili  this  new 
mode  of  education  for  young  ladies,  was  an  experi 
ment,  and  the  fuccefs  of  it  hath  anfwered  our  ex 
pectations.  Too  much  praife  cannot  be  given  to 
our  principal  J  and  his  afnftants,  for  the  abilities  and 
fidelity  with  which  they  have  carried  the  plan  into 
execution.  The  proficiency  which  the  young  ladies 
have  difcovered  in  reading — writing — fpelling — arith 
metic — grammar — geography — mufic — and  their  dif 
ferent  catechifms,  fince  the  laft  examination,  is  a  lefs 
equivocal  mark  of  the  merit  of  our  teachers,  than 
any  thing  I  am  able  to  exprefs  in  their  favour. 

But  the  reputation  of  the  academy  mud  be  fufpendcd, 
till  the  public  are  convinced,  by  the  future  conduct 
and  character  of  our  pupils,  of  the  advantages  of  the 
inftitution.  To  you,  therefore,  YOUNG  LADIES,  an 
important  problem  is  committed  for  folution  ;  and  that 
is,  whether  our  prefent  plan  of  education  be  a  wife  one, 
and  whether  it  be  calculated  to  prepare' you  for  the 
duties  of  focial  and  dorneiiic  life.  1  know  that  the  ele 
vation  of  the  female  mind,  by  means  of  moral, 

*  {t  Unnatural  confinement  makes  a  young  worr.an  embrace  with  avi- 
"  dity  every  plealure  when  flie  is  let  free.  To  reiifli  domeftic  life,  one 
"  mud  be  acqua'ared  whh  it ;  fur  it  is  in  the  houfe  of  her  parents  a  young 
*<  woman  acquires  the  relifh."  Lord  K.ums's  thougnts  upon  education, 
and  the  culture  of  the  heart. 
J  Andrew  Brown. 


93  THOUGHTS   UPON,  &C. 

phyfical  and  religious  truth,  is  confidered  by  fome 
men  as  unfriendly  to  the  domeftic  character  of  a 
woman.  But  this  is  the  prejudice  of  little  minds,  and 
fprings  from  the  fame  fpirit  which  oppofes  the  ge 
neral  diffufion  of  knowledge  among  the  citizens  of 
our  republics.  If  men  believe  that  ignorance  is 
favourable  to  the  government  of  the  female  fex,  they 
are  certainly  deceived;  for  a  weak  and  ignorant 
woman  will  always  be  governed  with  the  greateft 
difficulty.  I  have  fometimes  been  led  to  afcribe  the 
invention  of  ridiculous  and  expenfive  fafhions  in  fe 
male  drefs,  entirely  to  the  gentlemen*,  in  order  to 
divert  the  ladies  from  improving  their  minds,  and 
thereby  to  fecure  a  more  arbitrary  and  unlimited 
authority  over  them.  It  will  be  in  your  power,  LADIES, 
to  correct  the  miflakes  and  practice  of  our  fex  up 
on  thefe  fubje&s,  by  demoriftrating,  that  the  female 
temper  can  only  be  governed  by  reafon,  and  that 
the  cultivation  of  reafon  in  women,  is  alike  friend 
ly  to  the  order  of  nature,  and  to  private  as  well  as 
public  happinfs. 

*  The  very    expend  ve  prints  of  female  drefles    which  are   publi.he4 
annually  in  France,  are  invented  and  executed  wholly  by  GINTLIMIN. 


A  DEFENCE  OF  THE   USE    OF  THE  BIBLE  AS  A    SCHOOL 

BOOK.  ADDRESSED  TO  THE  Rev.  JEREMY  BELKNAP, 

OF   BOSTON. 


I 


DEAR  SIR, 

"T  is  now  feveral  months,  fince  I  promifed  to 
give  you  my  reafons  for  preferring  the  bible 
as  a  fchool  book,  to  all  other  compofitions.  I  mail 
not  trouble  you  with  an  apology  for  my  delaying  fo 
long  to  comply  with  my  promife,  but  fhall  proceed  im 
mediately  to  the  fubjeft  of  my  letter. 

Before  I  {late   my  arguments  in   favour  of  teach 
ing  children  to  read    by  means  of  the  bible,   I  fhall 
the  five  following  proportions.; 


I.  That  chridianity  is  the  only  true   and    perfect 
religion,  and  that  in  proportion  as  mankind  adopt  its 
principles,  and  obey  its  precepts,  they  will  be  wife,  and 
happy. 

II.  That  a  better  knowledge  of  this   religion  is  to 

be  acquired  by  reading  the  bible,  than   in  any   other 
way. 

Ill  That  the  bible  contains  more  knowledge  necef- 
fary  to  man  in  his  prefent  ftate,  than  any  other  book 
in  the  world. 


94  DEFENCE   OF    THE    USE    OF    THE 

IV.  That  knowledge  is^oft  durable,  and  religious 
inflrudHon  mofl  ufeful,  when  imparted  in  early  life, 

V.  That  the.  bible,  when   not    read   in    fchools,  is 
feldom  read  in  any  fubiequent  period  of  life. 

My  arguments  in  favor  of  the  ufe  of  the  bible  as  a 
fchool  book  are  founded,  I.  In  the  conflitution  of  the 
human  mind. 

1.  The  memory  is  the  firft  faculty  which  opens  in 
•lihids    of  children.     Of  how  much  confequence, 

then,  r.-juit  it  be,  to  imprefs  it  with  the  great  truths  of 
,,anky,  before  it  is  pre-occupied  with  lefs  intereft- 
ing  fubje£b  !  As  rili  the  liquors,  which  are  poured 
into  a  cup,  generally  tafte  of  that  which  nrft  filled  it, 
fa  all  the  knowledge,  which  is  added  to  that  which  is 
treufured  up  in  the  memory  from  the  bible,  generally 
receives  an  agreeable  and  ufeful  tincture  from  it. 

2.  There  is  a  peculiar  aptitude  in  the  minds  of  chil 
dren  for  religious  knowledge.     I  have  conftantly  found 
them  in  the  firft  fix  or  feven  years  of  their  lives,  more 
inquifitivc   upon    religious   fubje&s,    than   upon  any 
others  :    and    an    ingenious   inftru&or   of  youth  has 
informed  me,   that  he  has  found  young  children  more 
capable  of  receiving  jull  ideas  upon  the  mod  difficult 
tenets  of  religion,  than  upon  the  mod  fimple  branches 
of  human  knowledge.     It  would  be  flrange  if  it  were 
otlienvifc;  for  God  creates  all  his  means  to  fait  all  his 
ends.     There  niuft  of  courfe  be  a  fitncfs  between  tne 


BIBLE    IN   SCHOOLS.  95 

human  mind,  and  the  truths  which  are  efiential  to  its 
happinefs. 

3.  The  influence  of  prejudice  is  derived  from  the  im- 
preflions,  which  are  made  upon  the  mind  in  early  life  , 
prejudices  are  of  two  kinds,  true  and  falfe.  In  a  world 
where  falfe  prejudices  do  fo  much  mifchief,  it  would 
difcover  great  weaknefs  not  to  oppofe  them,  by  fucli  as 
are  true. 

I  grant  that  many  men  have  rejected  the  prejudices 
derived  from  the  bible  :  but  I  believe  no  man  ever  di<l 
fo,  without  having  been  made  •wi.fer  or  better,  by  the 
early  operation  of  thefe  prejudices  upon  his  mind. 
Every  juft  principle  that  is  to  be  found  in  the  writings 
of  Voltaire^  is  borrowed  from  the  Bible  :  and  the  mo 
rality  of  the  Deifts,  which  has  been  fo  much  admired 
and  praifed,  is,  I  believe,  in  moft  cafes,  the  efiecT:  of 
habits,  produced  by  early  inftru&ion  in  the  principles 
of  chriftianity. 

4.  We  are  fubjecl:,  by  a  general  law  in  our  natures, 
to  what  is  called  habit.     Now  if  the  ftudy  of  the  fcrip- 
tures  be  neccfiary  to  our  happinefs  at  any  time  of  our 
lives,  the  fooner  we  begin  to  read  them,   the  more  we 
fliall  be  attached  to  them  ;  for  it  is  peculiar  to  all  the 
acts  of  habit,  to  become  eafy,  ftrong  and  agreeable  by 
repetition. 

5.  It   is   a   law  in  our  natures,   that  we  remember 
longcjl  the  knowledge  we  acquire  by  the  greateil  number 


£6  DEFENC&  OF    THE    USE   OF   THE 

of  our  fenfes.  Now  a  knowledge  of  the  contents  of 
the  bible,  is  acquired  in  fchool  by  the  aid  of  the  eyes 
and  the  ears-,  for  children  after  getting  their  leflbns, 
always  fay  them  to  their  mafters  in  an  audible  voice  ; 
of  courfe  there  is  a  prefumption,  that  this  knowledge 
v/ill  be  retained  much  longer  than  if  it  had  been  acquir 
ed  in  any  other  way. 

6.  The  interefting   events  and  characters,  recorded 
and   defcribed   in  the  Old  and  New  Teftaments,    are 
accomodated  above  all  others  to  feize   upon   all  the 
faculties  of  the  minds  of  children.      The  underfland« 
ing,  the  memory,  the  imagination,  the  paflions,   and 
the  mofal  powers,  are  all  occafiorially  addreffed  by  the 
various  incidents  which  are  contained  in  thofe  divine 
books,   infomuch  that  not  to  be   delighted  with  them, 
is  to  be  devoid  of  every  principle  of  pleafure  that  exifts 
in  a  found  mind. 

7.  There  is  a  native  We  of  truth  in  the  hurhari 
mind.     Lord  Shaftefbury  fays,  that   "  truth  is  fo  con- 
«  genial  to  our  minds,  that  we  love  even  ihejbadfatt 
"  of  it  :*'  and  Horace,  in  his  rules  for  compofing  an 
epick  poem,   eftabliffies  the  fame  law  in  our  natures, 
by  advifing  the  *'  fictions  in  poetry  to  refemble  truth." 
Now  the  bible   contains  more  truths  than  any  other 
book   in   the  world  :  fo  true  is   the  teflimony   that   it 
bears  of  God  in  his  works  of  creation,  providence,  and 
redemption,  that  it  is  called  truth  itfolf,  by  way  of  pre 
eminence  above  things  that  are  only  fimply  true*     How 


BIBLE  IN  SCHOOLS.  97 

forcibly  are  we  ftruck  with  the  evidences  of  truth ,  in 
the  hi  (lory  of  the  Jews,  above  what  we  difcover  in  the 
hiftory  of  other  nations  ?  Where  do  we  find  a  hero, 
or  an  hiftorian  record  his  own  faults  or  vices  except  in 
the  Old  Teftament?  Indeed,  my  friend,  from  fome 
accounts  which  I  have  read  of  the  American  revolution, 
I  begin  to  grow  fceptical  to  all  hiftory  except  to  that 
which  is  contained  in  the  bible.  New  if  this  book  be 
known  to  contain  nothing  but  what  is  materially  true, 
the  mind  will  naturally  acquire  a  love  for  it  from  this 
circumftarice :  and  from  this  affection  for  the  truths  of 
of  the  bible,  it  will  acquire  a  difcernment  of  truth  in" 
other  books,  and  a  preference  of  it  in  all  the  tranfacYions 
of  life. 

VIII.  There  is  a  wonderful  property  in  the  memory 
which  enables  it  in  old  age,  to  recover  the  knowledge 
it  had  acquired  in  early  life,  after  it  had  been  appa 
rently  forgotten  for  forty  or  fifty  years.  Of  how  much 
confequence,  then,  mufl  it  be,  to  fill  the  mind  with 
that  fpecies  of  knowledge,  in  childhood  and  youth, 
which,  when  recalled  in  the  decline  o£  life,  will  fupport 
the  foul  under  the  infirmities  of  age,  and  fmooth  the 
avenues  of  approaching  death  ?  The  bible  is  the  only 
book  which  is  capable  of  affording  this  fupport  to  old 
age  ;  and  it  is  for  this  reafon  that  we  find  it  refcrted1 
to  with  fo  much  diligence  and  pleafure  by  fuch  old 
people  as  have  read  it  in  early  life.  I  can  recolledl 
many  inftances  of  this  kind  in  perfons  who  difcovcred 

O 


9#  DEI-EN CK  OF  THE  USE  OF  THE 

no  attachment  to  the  bible,  in  the  meridian  of  their 
lives,  who  have  notwithftanding,  fpent  the  evening  of 
them,  in  reading  no  other  book.  The  late  Sir  John 
Pringle,  Phyfician  to  the  Q^ueen  of  Great  Britain, 
after  palling  a  long  life  in  camps  and  at  court,  clofed 
it  by  ftudying  the  fcriptures.  So  anxious  was  he  to 
increafe  his  knowledge  in  them,  that  he  wrote  to  Dr. 
Michaelis,  a  learned  profefler  of  divinity  in  Germany, 
for  an  explanation  of  a  difficult  text  of  fcripture,  a 
fhort  time  before  his  death. 

IX.  My  fecond  argument  in  favour  of  the  ufo  of  the 
bible  in  fchools,  is  founded  upon  an  implied  command 
of  God,  and  upon  the  practice  of  feveral  of  the  wifeft 
nations  of  the  world. — In  the  6th  chapter  of  Deu 
teronomy,  we  find  the  following  words,  which  are 
directly  to  my  purpofe,  "  And  thou  fbak  love  the; 
"  Lord  thy  God,  with  all  thy  heart  and  with  all  thy 
"  foul,  and  with  all  thy  might.  And  thefe  words 
41  which  I  command  thee  this  day  mall  be  in  thine 
"  heart.  And  thou  fialt  teach  them  diligently  unto  tky 
<c  children,  and  {halt  talk  of  them  when  thou  fitteft  in 
"  thine  houfe,  and  when  thou  walked  by  the  way, 
"  and  when  then  Heft  down,  and  when  thou  rife& 
«  up," 

It  appears,  moreover,  from  the  hiftory  of  the  Jews, 
that  they  flouriihed  as  a  nation,  in  proportion  as  they 
honoured  and  read  the  books  of  Mofes,  which  contain 
ed,  a  written  revelation  of  the  will  of  God,  to  the  chil- 


BIBLE  IN  SCHOOLS.  99 

tlren  of  men.  The  law  was  not  only  neglected,  but  loft 
during  the  general  profligacy  of  manners  which  accom 
panied  the  long  and  wicked  reign  of  Manafiah.  But  the 
difcovery  of  it,  in  the  r-ubbifh  of  the  temple,  by  Jofiah, 
and  its  fubfequent  general  ufe,  were  followed  by  a  re 
turn  of  national  virtue  and  profperity.  We  read 
further,  of  the  wonderful  effects  which  the  reading 
of  the  law  by  Ezra,  after  his  return  from  his  captiviy 
in  Babylon,  had  upon  the  Jews.  They  hung  upon  his 
lips  with  tears,  and  mowed  the  fmcerity  of  their  re 
pentance,  by  their  general  reformation. 

The  learning  of  the  Jews,  for  many  years  confided 
in  nothing  but  a  knowledge  of  the  fcriptures.  Thefe 
were  the  text  books  of  all  the  inftru6Hon  that  was 
given  in  the  fchools  of  their  prophets.  It  was  by 
means  of  this  general  knowledge  of  their  law,  that 
thofe  Jews  that  wandered  from  Judea  into  our  coun- 
tries,  carried  with  them  and  propagated  certain  ideas  of 
the  true  God  among  all  the  civilized  nations  upon  the 
face  of  the  earth.  And  it  was  from  the  attachment 
they  retained  to  the  old  Tefhment,  that  they  procured 
a  tranflation  of  it  into  the  Greek  language,  after  they 
loft  the  Hebrew  tongue,  by  their  long  abfence  from 
their  native  country.  The  utility  of  this  tranflation, 
commonly  called  the  feptuagint,  in  facilitating  the  pro- 
grefs  of  the  gofpd,  is  well  known  to  all  who  are  ac 
quainted  with  the  hiftory  of  the  fir  ft  age  of  die  chriftun 
church. 


IOO         /          DEFENCE  OF  THE   USE  OF  THE 

I 

But  the  benefits  of  an  early  and  general  acquaintance 
with  the  bible,  were  not  confined  only  to  the  Jewiih 
nations.  They  have  appeared  in  many  .countries  in 
Europe,  fince  the  reformation.  The  induftry,  and 
habits  of  order,  which  diftinguifh  many  of  the  German 
nations,  are  derived  from  their  early  inilruclion  in  the 
principles  of  chriflianity,  by  means  of  the  bible.  The 
moral  and  enlightened  character  of  the  inhabitants  of 
Scotland,  and  of  the  New  England  States,  appears  to  be 
derived  from  the  fame  caufe.  If  we  defcend  from 
nations  to  fe£ls,  we  ihall  find  them  wife  and  profpcrous 
in  proportion  as  they  become  early  acquainted  with  the 
fcriptures.  The  bible  is  ftill  ufed  as  a  fchool  book 
among  the  quakers.  The  morality  of  this  feel:  of 
chriflians  is  univerfally  acknowledged.  Nor  is  this  all, 
— their  prudence  in  the  management  of  their  private 
affairs,  is  as  much  a  mark  of  their  fociety,  as  their  fober 
manners*. 

I  wim  to  be  excufed  for  repeating  here,  that  if  the 
bible  did  not  convey  a  fmgle  direction  for  the  attain 
ment  of  future  happinefs,  it  fhould  be  read  in  our  fchools 
in  preference  to  all  other  books,  from  its  containing  the 
greateft  portion  of  that  kind  of  knowledge  which  is  cal 
culated  to  produce  private  and  publick  temporal  hap 
pinefs. 

We  err  not  only  in  human  affairs,  but  in  religion 
likewife,  only  becaufe  (t  we  do  not  know  the  fcriptures." 
The  oppofite  fy  (lems  of  the  numerous  fects  of  chriflians 


BIBLE  IN  SCHOOLS.  IOt 

arife  chiefly  from  their  being  more  inftru&ed  in  cate- 
chifms,  creeds,  and  confeffions  of  faith,  than  in  the 
fcriptures.  Immcnfs  truths,  I  believe,  are  concealed  in 
them.  The  time,  I  have  no  doubt,  will  come,  when 
pofterity  will  view  and  pity  our  ignorance  of  thefe 
truths,  as  much  as  we  do  the  ignorance  of  the  difcipies 
of  our  Saviour,  who  knew  nothing  of  the  meaning  of 
thole  plain  paiTages  in  the  old  teftament  which  were 
daily  fulfilling  before  their  eyes.  Whenever  that  time 
{hall  arrive,  thofe  truths  which  have  efcaped  our  notice, 
or,  if  difcovered,nave  been  thought  to  be  oppofedto  each 
other,  or  to  be  inconfiftent  with  themfelves,  will  then 
like  the  ftones  of  Solomon's  temple,  be  found  fo  exactly 
to  accord  with  each  other,  that  they  (hall  be  cement 
ed  without  noife  or  force,  into  one  fimple  and  fublime 
fyftem  of  religion. 

But  further,  we  err,  not  only  in  religion  but  in  phi- 
lofophy  likewife,  becaufe  we  l<  do  not  know  or  believe 
"  the  fcriptures."  The  fciences  have  been  compared 
to  a  circle  of  which  religion  compofes  a  part.  To  under- 
ftarid  any  one  of  them  perfectly  it  is  nsceflary  to  have 
fome  knowledge  of  them  all.  Bacon,  Boyle,  and  Newton 
included  the  fcriptures  in  the  inquiries  to  which  their 
univerfal.geniufes  difpofed  them,  and  their  philofophy 
was  aided  by  their  knowledge  in  them.  A  finking  agree 
ment  has  been  lately  difcovered  between  the  hiftory 
of  certain  events  recorded  in  the  bible  and  feme  of  the 
operations  and  productions  of  nature,  particularly  thofe 
which  are  related  in  "Whitehurft's  obfervation*  on  the 


102  DEFENCE  OF  THE  USE  OF  THE 

deluge —  in  Smith's  account  of  the  origin  of  the  variety 
of  colour  in  the  human  fpecies,  and  in  Bruce's  travels. 
It  remains  yet  to  be  mown  how  many  other  events, 
related  in  the  bible,  accord  with  fome  late  important 
difcoveries  in  the  principles  of  medecine.  The  events, 
and  the  principles  alluded  to,  mutually  eftabliih  the 
truth  of  each  other.  From  the  difcoveries  of  the 
chriilian  philofophers,  whofe  names  have  been  lail 
mentioned,  I  have  been  led  to  queflion  whether  moil 
harm  has  been  done  to  revelation,  by  thofe  divines  who 
have  unduly  multiplied  the  obje6ts  of  faith,  or  by 
thofe  deifts  who  have  unduly  multiplied  the  objects  of 
rcafoii,  in  explaining  the  fcriptures. 

I  mail  now  proceed  to  anfwer  fome  of  the  objec 
tions  which  have  been  made  to  the  ufe  of  the  bible 
as  a  fchool  book. 

I.  We  are  told,  that  the  familiar  ufe  of  the  bible  in 
our  fchools,  has  a  tendency  to  leficn  a  due  reverence 
for  it.  This  objection,  by  proving  too  much,  proves 
nothing  at  all.  If  familiarity  leiTerts  refpecl:  for  divine 
things,  then  all  thofe  precepts  of  our  religion,  which 
enjoin  the  daily  or  weekly  worfhip  of  the  Deity,  arc 
improper.  The  bible  was  not  intended  to  reprefent  a 
Jewifn  ark ;  and  it  is  an  antichriftian  idea,  to  fuppofe 
that  it  can  be  profaned,  by  being  carried  into  a  fchool 
hoXifc,  or  by  being  handled  by  children.  But  where 
will  the  bible  be  read  by  young  people  with  more 
reverence  than  in  a  fchool  ?  Not  in  moil  private 
families  j  for  I  believe  there  are  few  parents,  whopre- 


BIBLE  IN  SCHOOLS.  103 

serve  fo  much  order  in  their  houfea,  as  is  kept    up  in 
our  common  Englifii  fchools. 

II.  We  are  told,  that  there  are  many  paflages  in 
the  old  teftament,  that  are  improper  to  be  read  by- 
children,  and  that  the  greatelt  part  of  it  is  no  \vay  in- 
terefting  to  mankind  under  the  prefent  difpenfation 
of  the  gofpel.  There  are  I  grant,  feveral  chapters, 
and  many  verfes  in  the  old  teftament,  which  in  their 
prefent  unfortunate  tranflation,  mould  be  patted  over 
by  children.  But  I  deny  that  any  of  the  books  of  the- 
old  teftament  are  not  interefting  to  mankind,  under 
the  gofpel  difpenfation.  Moft  of  the  characters, 
events,  and  ceremonies,  mentioned  in  them,  are  perfo- 
nal,  providential,  or  inftituted  types  of  the  Mefliah  :  All 
of  which  have  been,  qr  remain  yet  to  be,  fulfilled  by 
him.  It  is  from  an  ignorance  or  neglect  of  thefe  types, 
that  we  have  fo  many  deifts  in  chriftendom  ;  for  fa 
irrefragably  do  they  prove  the  truth  of  chriftianity,, 
that  I  am  fure  a  young  man  who  had  been  regularly 
inftru&ed  in  their  meaning,  could  never  doubt  after 
wards  of  the  truth  of  any  of  its  principles.  If  any  ob- 
fcurity  appears  in  thefe  principles,  it  is  only  (to  ufe 
the  words  of  the  poet)  becaufe  they  are  dark,  with  ex~ 
ceffive  bright. 

I  know  there  is  an  objection  among  many  Peo 
ple  to  teach  children  doctrines  of  any  kind,  becaufc 
they  are  liable  to  be  controverted.  But  where  will 
this  objection  lead  us  ? —  The  being  of  a  God> 
and  the  obligations  of  morality,  have  both  bee*» 


DEFENCE    OF    THE    USE    OF    THE  104 

controverted  ;  and  yet  who  has  objected  to  our  teach 
ing  thefe  doctrines   to  our  chilldrea  ? 

The  curiofity  and  capacities  of  young  people  for  the 
myfteries  of  religion,  awaken  much  fooner  than  is 
generally  fuppofed.  Of  this  we  have*  twa  remarkable 
proofs  in  the  old  teflamsnt.  The  firft  is  mentioned 
in  the  twelfth  chapter  of  Exodus.  "  And  it  (hall  come 
when  your  children  (hall  fay  unto  you,  ''•  What  mean 
you  by  this  fervice  ?"  tliat  ye  (hall  fay,  "  It  is  the  facra* 
"  fice  of  the  Lord's  pnffover,  who  paiTed  over  the  houfes 
<;  of  the  children  of  Ifrael  in  -Egypt,  when  he  fmote  the 
"  Egyptians,  and  delivered  our  houfes.  And  the  chil- 
"  dren  of  Ifrael  went  away,  and  did  as  the  Lord  had 
"  commanded  Mofes  and  Aaron."  A  fecond  proof  of 
the  defire  of  children  to  be  inflrufted  in  the  myfteries  of 
religion,  is  to  be  found  in  the  fixth  chapter  of  Deuter 
onomy.  (t  And  when  thy  fon  n/keth  thee  in  the  time  to 
come  faying,  "  What  mean  the  teftimonies — and  the 
<c  flatutes — and  the  judgments  which  the  Lord  our  God 
«  hath  commanded  you  ?"  Then  thou  malt  fay  unto 
thy  fen,  «  We  were  Pharoah's  bondmen  in  Egypt,  and 
"  the  Lord  our  God  brought  us  out  of  Egypt  with  a 
<:  mighty  hand."  Thefe  enquiries  from  the  mouths 
of  children  are  perfectly  natural ;  for  where  is  the 
parent  who  has  not  had  fimilar  .queftions  propofed  to 
him  byhis  children  upon  their  being  being  firft  conduct 
ed  to  a  place  of  worfhip,  or  upon  their  beholding,  for 
the  firft  time,  either  of  the  facraments  of  our  religion  ? 


BIBLE    IN    SCHOOLS.  105 

Let  us  not  not  be  \vifer  than  our  Maker.  If  moral 
precepts  alone  could  have  reformed  mankind,  the  mif- 
fion  of  the  Son  of  God  into  our  world,  .would  have 
been  unneceiTary.  He  came  to  promulgate  a  fyftem 
of  doElrinsS)  as  well  as  a  fyftem  of  morals.  The  perfedt 
morality  of  the  gofpel  refts  upon  a  dsftrint,  which, 
though  often  controverted,  has  never  been  refuted,  I 
mean  the  vicarious  life  and  death  of  the  Son  of  God. 
This  fublime  and  ineffable  dodtrine  delivers  us  from 
the  abfurd  hypothefes  of  modern  philofophers,  con 
cerning  the  foundation  of  moral  obligation,  and  fixes 
it  upon  the  eternal  and  felf  moving  principle  of  LOVE. 
It  concentrates  a  whole  fyftem  of  ethics  in  a  {ingle, 
text  of  fcripture.  "  A  new  commandment  I  give  unto 
you,  that  ye  love  one  another,  even  as  I  have  loved  you" 
By  witholding  the  knowledge  of  this  doclrine  from 
children,  we  deprive  ourfelves  of  the  beft  means  of 
awakening  moral  fenlibility  in  their  minds.  We  do 
more,  we  furnifii  an  argument,  for  witholding  from 
them  a  knowledge  of  the  morality  of  the  gofpel  like- 
wifej  for  this,  in  many  inftances,  is  as  fupernatural, 
and  therefore  as  liable  to  be  controverted,  as  any  of 
the  doctrines  or  miracles  which  are  mentioned  in  the 
new  teftament.  The  miraculous  conception  of  the 
faviour  of  the  world  by  a  virgin,  is  not  more  oppofed 
to  the  ord^ary  courfe  of  natural  events,  nor  is  the 
do£trine  of  the  atonement  more  above  human  reafon, 
than  thofe  moral  precepts,  which  command  us  to  love 
our  enemies,  or  to  die  for  our  friends. 

P 


106  DEFENCE   OF    THE    USE    OF    THE 

III.  It  has  been  faid,  that  the  divifion  of  the  bible 
into  chapters  and  verfes,  renders  it  more  difficult  to 
be  read,  by  children  than  many  other  books. 

By  a  little  care  in  a  mafter,  this  difficulty  may  be  ob 
viated,  and  even  an  advantage  derived  from  it.  It 
may  ferve  to  transfer  the  attention  of  the  fcholar  to  the 
fenfc  of  a  fubjecl: ;  and  no  perfon  will  ever  read  well, 
who  is  guided  by  any  thing  elfe,  in  his  flops,  em- 
phafis,  or  accents.  The  divifion  of  the  bible  into 
chapters  and  verfes,  is  not  a  greater  obftacle  to  its  be 
ing  read  with  eafe,  than  the  bad  punctuation  of  moft 
other  books.  I  deliver  this  ftrifturc  upon  other  books, 
from  the  authority  of  Mr.  Rice,  the  celebrated  author 
of  the  art  of  fpeaking,  whom  I  heard  declare  in  a  large 
company  in  London,  that  he  had  never  feen  a  book 
properly  pointed  in  the  Englifh  Language.  He  exem 
plified,  riotwithftanding,  by  reading  to  the  fame  com 
pany  a  paflage  from  Milton,  his  perfedt  knowledge  of 
the  art  of  reading. 

Some  people,  I  know,  have  propofed  to  introduce 
extracts  from  the  bible,  into  our  fchools,  inftead  of  the 
bible  itfelf.  Many  excellent  works  of  this  kind,  are 
in  print,  but  if  we  admit  any  one  of  them,  we  fhall 
have  the  fame  inundation  of  them  that  we  have  had 
of  grammars,  fpelling  books,  and  Jeflbns  for  children, 
many  of  which  are  publifhed  for  the  benefit  of  the 
authors  only,  and  all  of  them  have  tended  greatly  to  in- 
creafe  the  expence  of  education.  Befides,  thcfe  extracts 


BIBLE    IN    SCHOOLS.  107 

or  abridgements  of  the  bible,  often  contain  the  tenets  of 
particular  fe£b  or  perfonsj  and  therefore,  may  be  im 
proper  for  fchools  cornpofed  of  the  children  of  differ 
ent  fefts  of  chriftians.  The  bible  is  a  cheap  book, 
and  is  to  be  had  in  every  bookftore.  It  is,  moreover, 
efteemed  and  prefered  by  all  feels  ;  becaufe  each  finds 
its  peeuliar  doctrines  in  it.  It  (liould  therefore  be 
ufed  in  preference  to  any  abridgements  of  it,  or  hiflo- 
ries  extracted  from  it. 

I  have  heard  it  propofed  that  a  portion  of  the 
bible  fhould  be  read  every  day  by  the  matter,  as  a  means 
of  inftru&ing  children  in  it :  But  this  is  a  poor  fubftitute 
for  obliging  children  to  read  it  as  a  fchool  book  ;  for  by 
this  means  we  infenfibly  engrave,  as  it  were,  its  con 
tents  upon  their  minds  :  and  it  has  been  remarked  that 
children,  inftrucled  in  this  way  in  the  fcriptures,  fel- 
tlom  forget  any  part  of  them.  They  have  the  fame 
advantage  over  thofe  perfons,who  have  only  heard  the 
fcriptures  read  by  a  mailer,  that  a  man  who  has  work 
ed  with  the  tools  of  a  mechanical  employment  for  feve- 
ral  years,  has  over  the  man  who  has  only  flood  a  few 
hours  in  a  work  fhop,  and  feen  the  fame  bufmefs  carri 
ed  on  by  other  people. 

In  this  defence  of  the  uic  of  the  bible  as  a  fchool 
book,  I  beg  you  would  not  think  that  I  fuppofe  the  Bi 
ble  to  contain  the  only  revelation  which  God  has  made 
ro  man.  I  believe  in  an  inicTiul  revelation,  or  a  moral 


IC  DEFENCE  OF  THE  USE  OF  THE 

principle,  which  God  has  implanted  in  the  heart  of 
every  man,  a?  the  precurior  of  his  final  dominion  over 
the  whole  human  race.  How  much  this  internal  reve 
lation  accords  with  the  external,  remains  yet  to  be  ex 
plored  by  philofophers.  I  am  difpofed  to  believe,  that 
moft  of  the  doclrines  of  chriftianity  revealed  in  the  bi 
ble  might  be  difcovered  by  a  clofe  examination  of  all  the 
principles  of  action  in  man  :  But  who  is  equal  to  fuch 
an  enquiry  ?  It  certainly  does  not  fuit  the  natural  in 
dolence,  or  laborious  employments  of  a  great  majority 
of  mankind.  The  internal  revelation  of  the  gofpcl 
may  be  compared  to  the  ftraight  line  which  is  made 
through  a  wilder nefs  bv  the  afiiilance  of  a  compafs,  to 
a  diftant  coumiry,  which  few  are  able  to  dii  rover, 
while  the  bib!:  re.ernbles  a  public  road  to  the  fame 
country,  which  is  wide,  plain,  and  eafily  found. 
"  And  a  highway  fliall  be  there,  and  it  {hall  be  called 
the  way  of  hojinefs.  The  way  faring  men,  though 
fools,  fhali  not  err  therein." 

Neither  let  m.*  in  this  pLicc  exclude  the  Revelation 
which  God  hiss  n-ade  of  himfelf  to  man  in  the  works 
of  creation.     I  am  far  from  wifhing  to  lelTen  the  in 
fluence  of  th:;,  fpecies  of  Revelation   upon  mankind. 
But  the  knowledge  of  God  obtained  from  this  fource, 
is  cbfcure  and  feeble  in  its  operation,  compared  with  that 
wh;^h  is  derived  from  the  bible.     The  vifible  creation 
>of  the  Deity  in  liyeroglyphics,  while  the  bible  def- 
cribes  ail  his  attributes  and  perfections  in  fuch  plain, 


BIBLE    IN    SCHOOLS.  109 

and    familiar    language    that    "  he    who    runs    may 
«  read/' 

How  kindly  has  our  maker  dealt  with  his  creature*, 
in  providing  three  different  cords  to  draw  them  to 
himfelf !  But  how  weakly  do  fome  men  act,  who 
fufpsnd  their  faith,  and  hopes  upon  only  one  of  them  [ 
By  laying  hold  of  them  all,  they  would  approach 
more  fpeedily  and  certainly  to  the  centre  of  all  hap- 
pinefs* 

To  the  arguments  I  have  mentioned  in  favour  of 
the  ufe  of  the  bible  as  a  fchool  book,  I  mall  add  a  few 
reflections. 

The  prefent  fafhionable  practice  of  rejecting  the 
bible  from  our  fchools,  I  fufpect  has  originated  with 
the  deifts.  They  difcover  great  ingenuity  in  this  new 
mode  of  attacking  chriftianity.  If  they  proceed  in  it, 
they  will  do  more  in  half  a  century,  in  extirpating  our 
religion,  than  Bolingbroke  or  Voltaire  could  have  ef 
fected  in  a  thoufand  years.  I  am  not  writing  to  this 
clafs  of  people.  I  defpair  of  changing  the  opinions  of 
any, of  them.  I  wifh  only  to  alter  the  opinions  and  con 
duct  of  thofe  lukewarm,  or  fuperftitiotis  chriilians, 
who  have  been  mifled  by  the  deifts  upon  this  fubject. 
On  the  ground  of  the  good  old  cuftom,  of  ufing  the 
bible  as  a  fchool  book,  it  becomes  us  to  entrench  our 
religion.  It  is  the  hft  bulwark  the  deifts  have  left  it ; 
for  they  have  rendered  inftruction  in  the  principles 


110  DEFENCE    OF    THE    USE    OF    THE 

of  chriftianity  by  the  pulpit  and  the  prefs,fo  unfafhiona- 
ble,  that  little  good  for  many  years  feems  to  have  been 
done  by  either  of  them. 

The  effe&s  of  the  difufe  of  the  bible,  as  a  fchool  book 
have  appeared  of  late  in  the  negledl  and  even  contempt 
with  which  fcripture  names  are  treated  by  many  peo 
ple.  It  is  becaufe  parents  have  not  been  early  taught 
to  know  or  refpecT:  the  characters  and  exploits  of  the 
old  and  new  tcftament  worthies,  that  their  names  are 
exchanged  for  thofe  of  the  modern  kings  of  Europe,  or 
of  the  principal  characters  in  novels  and  romances.  I 
conceive  there  may  be  fome  advantage  in  bearing  fcrip 
ture  names.  It  may  lead  the  perfons  who  bear  them, 
to  fludy  that  part  of  the  fcriptures,in  which  their  names, 
are  mentioned,  with  uncommon  attention,  and  perhaps 
it  may  excite  a  defire  in  them  to  poflefs  the  talents  or  vir 
tues  of  their  ancient  nainefakes.This  remark  firft  occur 
red  to  me,  upon  hearing  a  pious  woman  whofe  name  was 
Mary,  fay,  that  the  firft  paffages  of  the  bible,  which 
made  a  ferious  impreffion  on  her  mind,  were  thofe  in- 
terciting  chapters  and  veries  in  which  the  name  of 
Mary  is  mentioned  in  the  New  Teftament, 

It  is  a  fingular  faft,  that  while  the  names  of  the 
kings  and  emperors  of  Rome,  are  now  given  chiefly  to 
hrfes  and  dogs ,  fcripture  names  have  hitherto  been  con 
fined  only  to  the  human  fpecics.  Let  the  enemies  and 
contcmners  of  thofe  names  take  care,  left  the  names  of 


BIBLE    IN    SCHOOLS.  I  I  I 

more  modern  kings  be  given  hereafter  only  to  the  fame 
animals,  and  left  the  names  of  the  modern  heroines  of 
romances  be  given  to  animals  of  an  inferior  fpecies. 

It  is  with  great  pleafure,  that  I  have  obferved  the  bi 
ble  to  be  the  only  book  rend  in  the  Sunday  fchools  in 
England.  We  have  adopted  the  fame  practice  in  the 
Sunday  fchools,  lately  eftablifhed  in  this  city.  This 
will  give  our  religion  (humanly  fpeaking)  the  chance 
of  a  longer  life  in  our  country.  We  hear  much  of  the 
perfons  educated  in  free  fchools  in  England,  turning 
out  well  in  the  various  walks  of  life.  I  have  enquired 
into  the  caufe  of  it,  and  have  fatisfied  myfelf,  that  it  is 
wholly  to  be  afcribed  to  the  general  ufe  of  the  bible  in 
thofe  fchools,  for  it  feenis  the  children  of  poor  people 
are  of  too  little  confequence  to  be  gu  arded  from  the 
fuppofed  evils  of  reading  the  fcriptures  in  early  life,  or 
in  an  unccnfecrated  fchool  houfe. 

However  great  the  benefits  of  reading  the  fcriptures 
in  fchools  have  been,  I  cannot  help  remarking,  that 
thefe  benefits  might  be  much  greater,  did  fchcolmafters 
take  more  pains  to  explain  them  to  their  fcholars.  Did 
they  demonflrate  the  divine  original  of  the  bible  from 
the  purity,  confiftency,  and  benevolence  of  its  doctrines 
and  precepts — did  they  explain  the  meaning  of  the 
levitical  inflitutions,  and  mow  their  application  to  the 
numerous  and  fuceffive  gofpel  difpenfations — did  they 
inform  their  pupils  that  the  grofs  and  abominable  vices 


112  DEFENCE    OF    THE    USE    OF    THE 

of  the  Jews  were  recorded  c,v/y  as  proofs  of  the  depravi 
ty  of  human  nature,  and  of  the  infuflkiency  of  the  law, 
to  produce  moral  virtue  and  thereby  to  eftabliih  the 
neceiiity  and  perfection  of  the  gofpel  fyftem  — and  above 
all,  did  they  often  enforce  the  difcourfes  of  our  Savicur, 
as  the  bed  rule  of  life,  and  the  furcfl  guide  tu  hap- 
pinefs,  how  great  would  be  the  influence  of  our  fchools 
upon  the  order  and  profperity  of  our  country  !  Such 
a  mode  of  inflru6ting  children  in  thechriftian  religion, 
would  convey  knowledge  into  their  underflandtngSy  and 
would  therefore  be  preferable  to  teaching  them  creeds, 
and  catechifms,  which  too  often  convey,  not  know 
ledge,  but  words  only,  into  their  memories.  I  think  I 
am  not  too  fangifme  in  believing,  that  education,  con- 
dueled  in  this  manner,  would,  in  the  courfe  of  two 
generations,  eradicate  infidelity  from  among  us,  and 
render  civil  government  fcarcely  necefiary  in  our  coun- 
try. 

In  contemplating  the  political  inftitutions  of  the 
United  States,  I  lament,  that  we  wafle  fo  much  time 
and  money  in  punifhing  crimes,  and  take  fo  little  pains 
to  prevent  them.  We  profefs  to  be  republicans,  and 
yet  we  neglect:  the  only  means  of  eflablifhing  and  per 
petuating  our  republican  forms  of  government,  that  is, 
the  univerfal  education  of  our  youth  in  the  principles 
of  chriftianity,  by  means  of  the  bible  •,  for  this  divine 
book,  above  all  others,  favours  that  equality  among 
mankind,  that  refpecl  for  juil  laws,  and  all  thofe  ibber 


BIBLE   IN    SCHOOLS.  11^ 

and  frugal  virtues,  which  conftitute  the  foul  of  repub- 
licanifm. 

I  have  now  only  to  apologize  for  havging  addrefled 
this  letter  to  you,  after  having  been  aflured  by  you, 
that  your  opinion,  refpe£Hng  the  ufe  of  the  bible  as  a 
fchooi  book,  coincided  with  mine.  My  excufe  for 
what  I  have  done  is,  that  I  knew  you  were  qualified 
by  your  knowledge,  and  difpofed  by  your  zeal  in  the 
caufe  of  truth,  to  correct  all  the  errors  you  would  dif- 
cover  in  my  letter.  Perhaps  a  further  apology  may 
be  necefTary  for  my  having  prefumed  to  write  upon 
a  fubjecT:  fo  much  above  my  ordinary  ftudies.  My 
excufe  for  it  is,  that  I  thought  a  fmgle  mite  from 
a  member  of  a  profeflion,  which  has  been  frequently 
charged  with  fcepticifm  in  religion,  might  attract  the 
notice  of  perfons  who  had  often  overlooked  the  more 
ample  contributions  upon  this  fubjecT:,  of  gentlemen 
of  other  profeffions.  With  great  refpect,  I  am,  dear  fir, 
your  fmcere  friend. 

BENJAMIN  RUSH* 

Philadelphia,  March  io;  1791. 


AN  ADDRFSS  TO  THE  MINISTERS  OF  THE  GOSPEL  OF 
EVERY  DENOMINATION  IN  THE'  UNITED  STAT1.S-, 
UPON  SUBJECTS  INTERESTING  TO  MORALS. 


FROM  the  nature  of  your  purfuits,  and  from 
your  influence  in  fociety,  I  am  encouraged 
to  addrefs  you  upon  fubje&s  of  the  utmofl  impor 
tance  to  the  prefeiit  and  future  hnppinefs  of  your  fel 
low-citizens,  as  well  as  to  the  profperity  of  the  United 
States. 

Under  the  great  diverfity  of  opinions,  you  entertain 
in  religion,  you  are  all  united  in  inculcating  the  ne- 
ceflity  of  morals.  In  this  bufmefs  you  are  neither 
catholics  nor  proteftants — churchmen  nor  diflenters. 
One  fpirit  actuates  you  all.  From  the  fuccefs,  or 
failure,  of  your  exertions  in  the  caufe  of  virtue,  we 
raiticipate  the  freedom  or  flavery  of  our  country.  Even 
the  new  government  of  the  united  dates,  from  which 
fo  m;<ny  advantages  arc  expected,  will  neither  reftore 
order, --nor  eftablifh  jufdce  among  us,  unlefs  it  be  ac 
companied  and  lupportul  by  morality,  jamong  ail  claffes 
of  people.)',  Impreffed  with  a  fenfe  of  the 'truth  cf 
thcfe  obfcrvations,  I  mall  biiefiy  point  cut  a  few  of 
thofc  practices,  which  prevail  in  America,  which  ex- 


ADDRESS    TO    THE    MINISTERS,   &C.         115 

crt   a  pernicious  influence  upon  morals,,  and  thereby   ; 
prepare  our  country  for  mifery  and  flavery. 

I  mall  begin  by  pointing  out,  in  the  firft  place,  the 
mifchevious  effects  of  fnirituos  liquors  upon  the  morals 
of  our  citizens. 

I.  They  render  the  temper  peevifh  and  paffionate.  / 
They  beget  quarrels,  and  lead  to  profane  and  indecent 
language.  They  arc  the  parents  of  idlenefs  and  ex 
travagance,  and  the  certain  foreiuarier;  of  poverty,  and 
frequently  of  jails,  wheelbarrows,  and  the  gallows. 
They  are  likewife  injurious  to  health  and  life,  and  kill 
more  than  the  peftilencc,  or  the  fword.  Our  legif- 
latures,  by  pre  mitt  ing  the  ufe  of  them,  for  the  fake 
of  the  paltry  duty  collected  from  them,  act  as  abfurdly 
as  a  prince  would  do,  who  mould  permit  the  cul 
tivation  of  a  poifonous  nut,  which  every  year  car 
ried  off  ten  thoufand  of  his  fubjedls,  becaufe  it  yielded 
a  revenue  of  thirty  thoufand  pounds  a  year.  Thefe  ten 
thoufand  men  would  produce  annually  by  their  labour,  - 
or  by  paying  a  trifling  impoft  upon  any  one  of  the 
neceflaries  of  life,  twenty  times  that  fum.  In  order 
to  put  an  end  to  the  defolating  effects  of  fpirituous 
liquors,  it  will  be  proper  for  our  minifters  to  preach 
againft,  not  the  abufe  of  them  only,  but  their  ufe  al 
together.  They  are  never  neceiTary  but  in  ficknefs  : 
and  then  they  are  better  applied  to  the  outfide,  than 
to  the  irifide  of  the  bodv. 


lid  ADDRESS    TO    THE    MINISTERS 

II  Militia  laws  have  an  unfriendly  influence  upon 
morals,  more  efpecially  where  they  authorife  the  elec 
tion  of  the  officers  by  the  privates.  The  meetings  of 
citizens  for  militia  exercifes  are  generally  attended 
with  intemperance  in  drinking,  quarrelling,  profane 
fwearing,  and  adl:s  of  violence  to  the  property  of  the 
perfons  who  live  near  the  places  where  thofe  meetings 
are  held.  It  is  a  miftake  to  fuppofe  that  the  defence 
of  liberty  requires  a  well  organized  militia  in  the  time 
of  peace. 

The  United  States  proved  in  the  beginning  of  the 
late  war,  and  France  has  proved  fmce,  that  armies  of 
difeiplined  irrefiilable  troops  may  be  formed  in  a  mort 
time  out  of  the  peafants  of  a  country.  War  has  lately  be 
come  a  fimple  art.  All  that  is  practical  in  it,  may  be 
acquired  in  a  few  weeks.  The  moft  gallant  exploits 
were  performed  during  the  late  war,  by  men  who  had 
been  but  a  few  days  in  the  practice  of  handling  fire 
arms. 

III.  Fairs  are  a  Pandora's  box  opened  twice  a  year, 
in  many  of  the  dates.     They  are  wholly  unneceilary, 
fmce   {hops  are  fo  common  in  all  the  civilized  parts 
of  the  country.    They  tempt  to  extravagance — gaming 
— drunkennefs — and  undeannefs.      They  are    proper 
only   in  defpotic  ftates,  where  the  more  a  people  are 
corrupted,   the   more  readily  they  fubmit  to  arbitrary 
government. 

IV.  Law-fuits   mould  be    difcouraged  as  much    as 
poilible.    They  are  highly  difreputable  between  perfons. 


OF    EVERY    DENOMINATION.  117 

who  profefs  chriftianity.  The  attendance  upon  courts 
expofes  to  idlenefs — drinking — and  gaming  ;  and  the 
iifual  delays  of  juftice  feldom  fail  of  entailing  hereditary 
difcord  among  neighbours.  It  is  with  inexpreffible  plea- 
fure  that  I  have  lately  feen  an  account  of  a  recom 
mendation  from  the  prefbyterian.fynod  of  New- York 
and  Philadelphia,  to  all  the  churches  under  their  care, 
to  fettle  their  difputes  after  the  manner  of  the  pri 
mitive  chriftians  and  friends,  by  arbitration.  Blefled 
event  in  the  hiftory  of  mankind  !  may  their  practice 
fpread  among  all  fe£ts  of  chriilians,  and  may  it  prove 
a  prelude  of  that  happy  time  foretold  in  the  icrip- 
tures,  when  war  and  murder  mall  be  no  more. 

V.  The  licentioufnefs  of  the  prefs  is  a  fruitful  fouree 
of  the  corruption  of  morals.  Men  are  deterred  from  in 
juring  each  other,  chiefly  by  the  fear  of  detection  or 
punifhment.  Now  both  of  thefe  are  removed  by  the 
ufual  fecrecy  of  a  licentious  prefs.  Hence  revenge, 
fcandal,  and  falfehood  are  cherifhed  and  propagated 
in  a  community.  By  means  of  this  engine  of  malice, 
we  fometimes  fee  not  only  reputation  but  even  life, 
kfelf,  taken  away.  The  patriotic  Mr.  Cummins,  and 
the  amiable  Dr.  Hawkefworch3  it  is  faid,  both  died  of 
a  broken  heart,  in  confequence  of  being  attacked  by 
perfons,  who  concealed  thcmfelves  behind  a  licentious 
prefs  in  London.  Perfonul  difputes  and  attacks  in  a 
newfpupcr,  may  be  compared  to  duels^  or  to  the  Indian 
mode  of  fighting,  according  as  they  are  carried  on  with. 


Il8  ADDRESS    TO    THE    MINISTERS 

or  without  the  names  of  their  authors.  They  mew  in 
bath  cafes,  a  degree  of  the  fame  fpirit,  which  leads  to 
open  murder  or  private  afiaiiinution.  But  further  : 
the  caufe  of  liberty  is  greatly  injured  by  perfonal  pub 
lications,  which  are  not  true,  or  which  have  no  connec 
tion  with  the  public  ;  for  who  will  believe  a  truth  that 
is  told  of  a  bad  man,  who  has  been  accuftomed  to 
read  falfehoods  publiihcd  every  day,  of  a  good  man  ? 
Printers  who  vend  fcurrility,  would  do  well  in  con- 
fulering,  that  the  publisher  of  .(caudal,  is  as  bad  as 
the  author  of  it,  in  the  fame  manner  that  the  receiver 
of  ftolen  goods,  is  as  bad  as  the  thief. 

VI.  Hcrfe-rdcing  and  cock-fighting  are  unfriendly 
am.ufements  to  morals,  and  of  courfe  to  the  liberties  of 
our  country.      ihcy  cccafion  iulenefs,  fraud,  gaming, 
and  profane  fwea-ring,  and  harden  thejheart  againfFihe 
feelings  of  Immunity.     Thefe  vulgar  fports  ihould  be 
forbidden  by  law  in  all  chriilian  and   republican  coun 
ties. 

VII.  Clubs   of  all  kinds,  where  the  only  bufmefs  of 
the  company,  is  f.-i  '.:r..^  ^for  that  is  true  name  of  a 

i  kation  that  is  fimply  animal';  are  hurtful  to  morals. 
The  fociety  in  fr.v^nis  where  clubs  are  ufually  held, 
is  feldom  fubjecl;  to  much  order.  It  expofes  men  to 
idlcncfs,  prodigality,  and  debt.  It  is  in  private  families, 
only  that  fociety  is  innocent,  or  improving.  Here 
manners  are  ufuiilly  kept  within  the  bounds  of  decen 
cy  by  the  company  of  females,  who  generally  compofe 


OF    EVERT    DENOMINATION.  119 

a  part  of  all  private  families  ;  and  manners,  it  is  well 
known,  have  an  influence  upon  morals. 

VIII.  Amufements  of  every  kind,  on  Sundays,  beget 
habits  of  idlenefs  and  a  love  of  pleafurc,  which  extend 
their  influence  to  every  day  of  the  week.  In  thofe 
manufacturing  towns  in  England,  where  the  Sundays 
are  fpent  in  Idlenefs  or  frolicking,  little  cr  no  work  is 
ever  done  on  theenfuing  day;  hence  it  is  called  St.  Mon 
day.  If  there  were  no  hereafter — individuals  and  fo- 
cieties  would  be  great  gainers,  by  attending  public 
worfhip  every  Sunday.  Heft  from  labour  in  the  houfe 
of  God,  winds  up  the  machine  of  both  foul  and  body, 
better  than  any  thing  elfe,  and  thereby  invigorates  it 
for  the  labours  and  duties  of  the  enfuing  week.  Should 
I  ever  travel  into  a  chriftian  country,  and  wifli  to  know 
whether  the  laws  of  that  country  were  wife  and  juft, 
and  whether  they  were  duly  obeyed,  the  only  qaeftioii 
I  would  aik,  ihould  be  "  do  the  people  fpend  Sunday 
at  church,  or  in  pleamrable  entertainments  at  home 
and  abroad  ?"  the  Sunday  fchools  in  England  have  been 
found  extremely  ufeful  in  reforming  the  children  of 
poor  people.  Who  can  witnefs  the  practices  of 
fwimming,  Hiding  and  fcating,  which  prevail  fo  univcr- 
fally  on  Sundays,  in  mo  ft  of  the  cities  of  the  United 
States,  and  not  wifli  for  fimilar  inftitutions  to  refcues 
our  poor  children  from  deftruclion  ?  I  fnall  conclude 
my  remarks  upon  this  f abject, by  declaring, that  I  do  not 
wifli  to  fee  any  new  laws  made  to  enforce  the  keeping 


120  ADDRESS    TO    THE    MINISTERS 

of  the  Sabbath.  I  call  upon  minifters  of  the  gofpel 
only,  to  increafe  and  extend,  by  their  influence,  the 
pure  and  ufeful  fpiiit  of  their  religion  In  riding 
through  our  country,  we  may  always  tell,  by  the  ap 
pearance  of  the  people  we  meet  with  on  the  road, 
or  fee  at  taverns,  whether  they  enjoy  the  benefit  of 
public  worfhip,  and  of  a  vigilant  and  faithful  miniftry. 
Where  a  fettlement  enjoys  thefe  ineftimahle  bettings, 
we  generally  find  taverns  deferted  on  a  Sunday,  and 
a  fiillnefs  pervading  the  whole  neighbourhood,  as  if 
nature  herfelf  had  ccafed  from  her  labours,  to  (hare 
with  man  in  paying  her  weekly  homage  to  God  for 
his  creating  goodncfs 

Thus  I  have  briefly  pointed  out  the  principal  four- 
ces  of  vice  in  our  country.  They  are  all  of  a  public 
nature,  and  affect,  in  a  direct  manner,  the  general  in- 
terefts  of  fociety.  I  fhall  now  fuggeft  a  few  fources 
of  vice,  which  are  of  a  domeftic  nature,  and  which  in 
directly  affect  the  happinefs  of  our  country. 

I.  The  frequent  or  long  abfence  of  the  mafter  and 
miflrefs  from  home,bydiflblving  the  bounds  of  dcmeftic 
government,  proves  a  fruitful  fource  cf  vice  among 
children  and  fervants.  To  prevent  in  fome  degree, 
the  inconveniencies  which  arife  from  the  neceffary  ab 
fence  of  the  heads  of  a  family,  from  home,  it  would  be  a 
good  practice  to  inveft  the  eldeft  fori  or  daughter,  when 
of  a  fuitable  age,  with  the  government  of  the  family 
and  to  make  them  refponfible  for  their  conduct,  upon 


OF    EVERY    DENOMINATION. 


12*' 


tfic  return  of  their  parents.  Government  in  a  family 
is  like  an  elearic  rod  to  a  houfe.  Where  it  is  wanting 
a  family  is  expofed  to  the  attacks  of  eveiy  folly  and  vice, 
that  come  within  the  fphere  of  its  attraction. 

II.  Frequent  and  large  entertainments  weaken  do- 
meftic  government,  by  removing  children  and  fervants 
too  long  from! the  eye  of  authority.  They  moreover, 
expofe  children  and  fervants'  to  the  temptation  of  eat- 
ting  and  drinking  to  excefs. 

III. -Boys  and  girls  fhould  never  be  admitted  as  fer 
vants — into  a  genteel  family.  They  are  feldom  in- 
ftructed  properly,  by  their  matters  or  miftrefies. 
Their  leifure  hours  are  moreover  fpent  in  bad  compa 
ny  :  and  all  the  vices  which  they  pick  up,  are  fpread 
among  the  children  ef  the  family,  who  are  generally 
more  prone  to  aiTociate  with  them,  than  with  any  other. 
Where  poverty  or  death  makes  it  necefFary  to  bind  out 
children,  they  fhould  be  bound  to  thofe  perfons  only, 
who  will  work  with  them.  By  thefe  means,  they  will 
be  trained  to  induftry,  and  kept  from  idlenefs  and  vice. 

IV.  Servants,  both  male  and  female  mould  always 
be  hired  by  the  year,  otherwife  no  proper  government 
can  be  eftablifhed  over  them.  The  impertinence  and 
irregular  conduct  of  fervants,  arife  from  their  holding 
their  places  by  too  (hort  a  tenure.  It  would  be  a  good 
law  to  fine  every  perfon,  who  hired  a  fervant,  without 
a  written  good  character,  figned  by  his  laft  matter, 

R 


122  ADDRESS    TO    THE    MINISTERS 

and  counterfigned  by  a  magiftrate.  This  praftice 
would  foon  drive  bad  fervants  out  of  the  civilized  parts 
of  ©ur  country 'and  thereby  prevent  much  evil  both  in 
families  and  fociety.  How  many  young  men  and  wo 
men  have  carried  through  life  the  forrowful  marks  in 
their  confciences  or  characters,  of  their  being  early  ini 
tiated  into  the  myfteries  of  vice,  by  unprincipled  fer 
vants  of  both  fexes  1  Servants  that  are  married,  mould 
be  preferred  to  fuch  as  are  fingle.  Matrimony  in  all 
ranks  of  people  leflens  the  temptation  to  vice,  and  fur- 
nifhes  freih  motives  to  juft  conduct. 

V.  Apprentices  mould  always  board  and  lodge,  if  pof- 
fible,  with  their  mailers  and  miflreiles,  when  they  are 
feparated  from  their  parents.  Young  people  feldom 
fall  into  bad  company  in  the  day  time.  It  is  in  .the 
.evening,  when  theyceafeto  be  fubject  to  government, 
that  they  are  in  the  moft  danger  of  corruption  :  and 
this  danger  can  be  obviated  only  by  fubj^&ing  all  their 
hours  to  the  direction  of  their  matters  or  miftrefles. 

I  {hall  conclude  this  addrefs,  by  fuggcfting  to  mini- 
it  ers  of  the  gofpel,  a  plan  of  a  new  fpecies  of  federal, 
government  for  the  advancement  of  morals  in  the  Uni 
ted  States.  Let  each  feel:  appoint  a  repreferitative  in  a 
general  convention  of  chriftians,  whofe  bufmefs  mall 
be,  to  unite  in  promoting  the  general  objects  of  chrif- 
tianity.  Let  no  matters  of  faith  or  opinion  ever  be  in 
troduced  into  this  convention,  but  let  them  be  confider- 


OF    EVERY    DENOMINATION.  123 

«d  as  badges  of  the  fovereignly  of  each  particular  fe£t 
To  prevent  all  difputes,  let  the  objects  of  the  delibera 
tions  of  this  general  convention  be  afcetiained  with  the 
fame  accuracy,  that  the  powers  of  the  national  govern 
ment  are  denned  in  the  new  conftitution  of  the  United 
States.  By  this  previous  compact,  no  encroachments 
will  ever  be  made  by  the  general  government,  upon 
the  principles — difcipiine — or  habits  of  any  one  fedl — 
for  in  the  prefent  (late  of  human  nature^  the  divifion 
of  chriftians  into  feels,  is  as  necefiary  to  the  exiftence 
and  prefervation  of  chriftianity,  as  the  divifion  of  man 
kind  into  nations,  and  of  nations  into  feparate  families 
are  neceflary  to  promote  general  and  private  happinefs. 
By  means  of  fuch  an  inftitution,  chriilian  charity  will 
be  promoted,  and  the  difcipiine  of  each  church  will 
be  flrengthened — for  I  would  propofe,  that  a  difmiflion 
for  immorality,  from  any  one  church,  mould  exclude 
a  man  from  every  church  in  the  ecclefiaftical  union. 
But  the  advantages  of  this  chriftian  convention  will  not 
end  here.  It  will  poflefs  an  influence  over  the  laws  of 
the  United  States.  This  influence  will  differ  from 
that  of  moft  of  the  ecclefiaftical  aflbciations  that  have 
exifted  in  the  world.  It  will  be  the  influence  of  reafon 
over  the  paflions  of  men.  Its  objects  will  be  morals, 
not  principles,  and  the  defign  of  it  will  be,  not  to  make 
men  zealous  members  of  any  one  church,  but  to  make 
them — good  neighbours — good  hufbands — good  fathers 
— good  mailers — good  fervants— and  of  courfe  good 


124  ADDRESS   TO   THE    MINISTERS,  &C. 

rulers  and  good  citizens.  The  plan  is  certainly  a  pracr 
ticable  one.  America  has  taught  the  nations  of  Eu 
rope  by  her  example  to  be  free,  and  it  is  to  be  hoped 
(he  will  foon  teach  them  to  govern  themfelves.  Let 
her  advance  one  ftep  further — and  teach  mankind,  that 
it  is  poffible  for  chriftians  of  different  denominations 
to  love  each  other,  and  to  unite  in  the  advancement  of 
their  common  interefls.  By  the  gradual  operation  of 
fuch  natural  means,  the  kingdoms  of  this  world  are  pro 
bably  to  become  the  kingdoms  of  the  prince  of  righter 
pufnefs  and  peace. 

Philadelphia,  June  21,  1788. 


AN     ENQUIRY    INTO  THE  CONSISTENCY  OF  OATHS    WITH 
REASON    AND     CHRISTIANITY. 


I 


:N  difcufling  this  queftion,  I  fhall  firft  mention 
the  objections  to  oaths,  which  are  founded  in 
reafon ;  and,  fecondly,  the  objections  to  them  which 
are  derived  from  the  precepts  arid  fpirit  of  the  chrif-* 
tian  religion. 

I.  Oaths  produce  an  idea  in  the  minds  of  men,  that 
there  are  tiuo  kinds  or  degrees  of  truth  •,  the  one  intend 
ed  for  common,  and  the  other  for  folemn  occafions. 
Now,  this  idea  is  directly  calculated  to  beget  a  want 
of  reverence  for  the  inferior  kind  of  truth  \  hence  men 
are  led  to  trifle  with  it  in  the  common  affairs  of  hu 
man  life.  I  grant  that  fome  men  will  tell  the  truth, 
when  urged  to  it  by  the  folemn  formalities  of  an 
oath,  who  would  not  otherwife  do  it  :  But  this  proves 
the  great  mifchief  of  oaths  in  fociety  \  for  as  men 
are  called  upon  to  fpeak  the  truth  999  tunes  in  com 
mon  life,  to  once  they  are  called  upon  to  fivear  to  it, 
we  have  exactly  999  falfehoods  to  one  truth  told  by 
them.  How  extenfive,  then,  muft  be  the  mifchief  of 
this  great  difproportion  between  truth  and  falfehood, 
in  all  the  affairs  of  human  life  !  It  is  wrong  to  do 


*i6  ON    OATHS. 

any  thing  that  (hall  create  an  idea  of  two  kinds  of 
•truth.  There  is  a  fcale  of  falfehoods  ;  but  truth  has  no 
degrees  or  fubdivifions.  Like  its  divine  author,  it  is 
an  eternal  unchangeable  UNIT. 

II.  The  prafHce  of  fwearing   according  to  human 
laws,  appears  to  be   the   caufe  of  all  profane  fwear 
ing,  which   is  fo  univerfal  among  all  ranks  of  people 
in  common  converfation  ;  for  if  there  are  two  modes 
of  fpeaking  the  truth,   it   is  natural  for  men  to  pre 
fer  that  mode  which  the  laws  of  our  country  hare 
entitled  to  the   firft  degree  of  credibility  :  hence  men 
fwear,  when  they  w.'ili  to  be  believed,  in  common  con 
verfation. 

III.  Oaths  have    been   multiplied   upon    fo   many 
trifling    occanons,  that  they    have  ceafed,  in  a  great 
degree,  to    operate    with  any  force    upon    the  mofl 
.folemn   occafions  :  hence  the   univerfal  prevalence  of 
perjury  in    courts,    armies  and  cuftom-houfes,  all  over 
the  world.     This  fact  is  fo  notorious  in  Jamaica,  that 
a  law  has  lately  been  parTed  in  that  ifland,  which  re 
quires  a  bond  of  £.200,  inflead  of  an  oath,  from  every 
captain   that  enters    his   vefTel  in   the   cuftom-houfe, 
as   a    fecurity   for  his  veracity  in  the   manifeiT:   of  his 
cargo,  and  for  the  amount  of  his  duties  to  the  govern 
ment. 

Realbn  and  fcripture  (when  perfectly  underilood) 
are  never  contrary  to  each  other  •,  and  revelation  from 
God  can  never  give  a  function  to  that  which  is  fo 


ON  OATHS.  127 

evidently  abfurd,  and  unfriendly  to  the  interefts  of  hu 
man  fociety.  Let  us  proceed  then  to  examine  the 
bible,  and  here  we  fhall  find,  that  oaths  are  as  contrary 
to  the  precepts  and  fpirit  of  chriftianity  as  they  are  to 
found  reafon. 

Before  I  mention  either  the  precepts  or  the  fpirit  of 
the  gofpelj  which  militate  againil  oaths,  I  fhall  men 
tion  a  few  of  the  cafes  of  fwearing  which  I  find  upon 
record  in  the  New  Teltament.  I  fhall  firft  mention 
the  precedents  in  favour  of  this  practice,  and  then 
the  precepts  and  precedents  againft  it. 

The  firft  precedent  I  fliall  produce,  is  taken  from 
the  example  of  the  devil,  who  addreiles  our  Saviour 
in  an  oath,  in  Mark  v.  7.  "  "What  have  I  to  do 
with  thee,  Jefus,  thou  fon  of  the  mod  high  God  ?  1 
adjure  thee  by  God  that  thou  torment  me  not." 

A  fecorid  precedent  is  taken  from  the  example  of 
the  high  prieft,  who  addrefles  cur  Saviour  in  an  oath 
in  Matthew,  xxvi.  63.  "  I  adjure  thee,"  fays  he,  juft 
before  he  confents  to  his  death,  "  by  the  living  GW, 
that  thou  tell  us  whether  thou  be  the  Chrifl  the  fon 
of  God."  It  has  been  faid  that  there  was  no  impro 
priety  in  this  mode  of  expreflion,  othcrwife  our  Sa 
viour  would  have  rebuked  it :  but  let  it  be  remem 
bered,  that  he  flood  before  the  tribunal  of  a  high- 
prieft,  as  a  prifoner,  and  not  as  a  teacher ;  and  hence 
we  find  he  fubmits  mjilence  to  all  the  prophane  in- 
fults  that  were  ofFered  him.  In  this  filent  fubmifli- 


f28  ON    OATHS-. 

on  to  infult,  he  moreover  fulfilled  an  ancient  prophefy' 
"  he  is  brought  as  a  lamb  to  the  (laughter  and  as  a' 
fheep  before  his  Ihearers  is  dumb,  fo  he  openeth  not 
his  mouth"  Ifaiah  LIII.  7. 

Peter  furriifhes  a  third  inftance  of  fwearing. 
"  And  again  he  denied"  (fays  Matthew,  chap.  xxvi. 
72.)  "  with  an  oath,  I  know  not  the  man."  It 
would  feeni  from  this  account,  that  a  bare  affirma 
tion  was  fo  characteriftic  of  a  disciple  of  Jefus  Chrift, 
that  Peter  could  not  ufe  a  more  direct  method  to 
convince  the  maid,  who  charged  him  with  being  a 
follower  of  Jefus  of  Nazareth-,  that  he  was  not  a 
ehriftian)  than  by  having  recourfe  to  the  Jexvifh  and 
pagan  practice  of  taking  an  oath. 

Herod  furnifhes  a  fourth  inftance  of  fwearing,  in 
Matthew  xiv.  7,  when  he  promifed  to  give  the  daugh 
ter  of  Herodias  whatever  fhe  mould  afk  of  him :  me 
alked  for  John  the  baptift's  head  in  a  charger :  the 
king  repented  of  his  hafty  promife  ;  "  neverthelefs, 
for  the  oath's  fake,  and  them  which  fat  with  him  at 
meat,  he  commanded  it  to  be  given  her."  Here 
it  is  evident  he  would  have  violated  a  common  pro- 
mife.  But  if  common  promifes  are  not  held  facred, 
and  binding,  there  is  an  end  of  a  great  portion  of 
truth  in  fociety,  and  of  all  the  order  and  huppinefs 
which  arife  from  it.  To  fecure  con  flan  t  and  uni- 
verful  truth,  men  mould  fwear  always  or  not  at  alL 


ON    OATHS.  129 

A  fifth  precedent  for  fwearing  we  find  in  the  xix 
of  Ads  and  I3th  verfe.  "Then  certain  of  the  vaga 
bond  Jews,  exorcitts,  took  upon  them  to  call  over 
them  which  had  evil  fpirits,  the  name  of  the  Lord 
Jofus,  faying,  <we  adjure  thee,  by  Jefus  whom  Paul 
preacheth.  And  the  man  in  whom  the  evil  fpirit 
was,  leaped  on  them,  and  overcame  them  j  fo  that 
they  fled  out  of  the  houfe  naked  and  wounded." 

The  loft  precedent  for  fwearing  that  I  {hall  men 
tion,  is  the  one  related  in  A£ts  xxiii.  21  ft.  It  con 
tains  an  account  of  forty  men  who  had  bound  them- 
felves,  by  an  ocith,  not  to  eat  or  drink,  until  they  had 
killed  St.  Paul.  It  would  feem  that  this  banditti 
knew  each  other  perfectly,  and  that  they  would  not 
acl:  together  under  the  form  of  a  common  obligation. 
The  occafion  indeed,  feems  to  require  an  oath.  It 
was  an  aflbciation  to  commit  murder.  I  am  difpof- 
ed  to  fufpecl  that  oaths  were  introduced  originally 
to  compel  men  to  do  things  that  were  contrary  to 
juftice,  or  to  their  conferences. 

In  mentioning  the  precepts  and  precedents  that 
are  to  be  found  in  the  new  teftament  againft  fwear 
ing,  the  following  ftriking  paffage,  taken  from  Matthew 
v.  verfes  34,  35,  36,  37,  mould  alone  determine  the 
queftion.  «  Swear  not  at  all,  neither  by  heaven,  for 
it  is  God's  throne  ;  nor  by  the  earth,  for  it  is  his 
footftool  ',  npr  by  Jerufalem,  for  it  is  the  city  of  the 

S 


130  ON    OATHS. 

great  king.  Neither  {halt  thou  fwear  by  thy  head, 
becaufe  thtfu  carift  not  make  one  hair  white  or  black 
But  let  your  communication  be  yea,  yea;  nay,  nay, 
for  whatfoever  is  more  than  thefe,  cometh  of  evil." 

The  words  of  the  apoftle  James,  are  equally  pointed 
againft  fwearing,  chap.  v.  12.  "  But  above  all  things 
my  brethren,  fwear  not,  neither  by  heaven,  neither  by 
the  earth,  neither  by  any  other  oath  ;  but  let  your  yea, 
be  yea,  and  your  nay,  nay  ;  left  ye  fall  into  condemna- 


I  know,  thefe  paflages  are  faid  to  be  levelled  only 
againft  profane  fwearing  in  common  converfation,  but 
this  will  appear  improbable  when  we  reflect,  that  our 
Saviour's  words  were  addrefTed  exclufively  to  his  dif- 
ciples,  and  that  the  epiftle  of  St.  James,  from  whence 
the  prohibition  of  fwearing  is  taken,  is  directed  to  a 
number  of  pious  converts  to  chriftianicy,  none  of 
whom,  any  more  than  the  c}ifciples  of  our  Lord,  could 
be  fufpecled  of  profane  fwearing  in  common  conver 
fation.  Both  pafTages  equally  condemn  oaths  of  every 
kind,  and  demonstrate  their  contrariety  to  the  gofpel 
difpenfatioiu 

There  is  a  peculiar  meaning  in  the  reafon  which 
is  given  for  the  prohibition  of  fwearing  in  the  pre 
cept,  of  cur  Saviour,  viz.  that  any  thing  more  than  a 
bare  affirmation,  csineth  of  evil.  Yes,  it  came  origi'nally 
from  the  univerfal  prevalance  of  falfehood  in  fociety  ; 
but  the  chriftian  religion,  by  opening  new  fources  of 


ON    OATHS.  igi 

moral  and  religious  obligation;  and  by  difcoyering  more 
fully  the  beauty  and  rewards  of  truth  and  deformity, 
and  future  punifhment  of  falfdhood,  has  rendered  the 
obligation  of  oaths  wholly  unneceffary.  They  conv 
port  d  with  the  feeble  difcoveries  of  the  Jewifii,  and 
the  numerous  corruptions  of  the  pagan  religions ;  but 
they  are  urinece/Fary  under  that  full  and  clear  manifes 
tation  of  the  divine  will  which  is  contained  in  the 
gofpel.  Csefar's  wife  mould  not  be  fufpe&ed. — -With 
how  miijh  more  propriety  mould  this  be  faid  of 
the  veracity  of  a  chriftiari,  than  of  the  chaftity  of 
the  wife  of  a  heathen  emperor,  Every  time  a  chriflian 
f \vears,  he  expofes  the  purity  and  truth  of  his  religion 
to  fufpicion.  "  As  for  you,  Petrarch,  your  word  is 
fufficient,"  faid  the  cardinal  Colorma,  in  an  enquiry 
into  the  caufe  of  a  riot  that  had  happened  in  his  fami 
ly,  while  that  celebrated  poet  was  a  member  of  it ; 
and  in  which  he  exa&ed  an  oath  from  every  ether 
member  of  his  family,  not  excepting  his  own  brother, 
the  bifhop  of  Luna.  The  fame  addrefs  mould  be  made 
to  every  chriftisn,  when  he  is  called  upon  to  declare 
the  truth.  «  You  believe  in  a  future  (late  of  rewards 
and  punifhment — you  prof  els  to  be  the  follower  of 
that  Being  who  has  inculcated  a  regard  for  truth, 
under  the  awful  confid-jration  of  his  omnifcience,  and 
who  has  emphatically  ftyled  himfolf  the  TRUTH." 
Your  word,  therefore^  is  fufficient. 

A  nobleman  is   permitted,  by  the  laws  of  England, 
to  declare  the  truth  upon  his  honour.     The  profeilion 


l$2  ON   OATHS. 

of  chriftianity  is  declared  in  Icripture  to  be  an  high 
calling,  and  chriftians  are  faid  to  be  prlefts  and  kings. 
Strange  !  that  perfons  of  fuch  high  rank,  fhould  be 
treated  with  lefs  refpecl  than  Englifh  noblemen  ;  and 
flill  more  ftrange  !  that  perfons  pofleffing  thefe  augufl 
titles,  fhould  betray  their  illuftrious  birth  and  dignity, 
by  conforming  to  a  practice  which  tends  fo  much 
to  invalidate  the  truth  and  excellency  of  their  re 
ligion. 

It  is  very  remarkable,  that  in  all  the  accounts  we 
have  of  the  intercourfe  of  our  Saviour  with  his  dif 
ciples,  and  of  their  fubfequent  intercourfe  with  each 
other,  there  is  no  mention  made  of  a  {ingle  oath  being 
taken  by  either  of  them. 

Perhaps  there  never  was  an  event  in  which  the 
higheft  degrees  of  evidence  were  more  neceiTary,  than 
they  were  to  eflablifh  the  truth  of  the  refurrccUon 
of  our  Saviour,  as  on  the  truth  of  this  miracle  depen 
ded  the  credibility  of  the  chriftian  religion.  But  in 
the  eflablifhment  of  the  truth  of  this  great  event,  no 
oath  is  taken,  or  required.  The  witncflcs  of  it  fimply 
relate  what  they  fa\v,  and  are  believed  by  all  the 
difciples  except  one,  who  ftill  remembered. too  well 
the  prohibition  of  his  mafler,  "  fwear  not  at  all,"  to 
alk  for  an  oath  to  remove  his  unbelief. 

It  is  worthy  of  notice  likewife,  that  no  prcpofterous 
oath  of  office    is   required  of  the  difciples  when  they 
the  apoflolic   character,    and  arc  fent  forth  to 


ON    OATHS.  133 

preach  the  gofpel  to  all  nations.  How  unlike  the 
fpirit  of  the  gofpel  are  thofe  human  conftitutions  and 
laws,  which  require  oaths  of  fidelity,  every  year  !  and 
v/hich  appear  to  be  founded  in  the  abfurd  idea  that 
men  are  at  all  times  the  guardians  of  their  own 
virtue. 

There  can  be  no  doubt  of  chriftians  having  uniform 
ly  refuftd  to  take  an  oath  in  the  firft  ages  of  the 
church :  nor  did  they  conform  to  this  pagan  cuftom, 
till  after  chriftianity  was  corrupted  by  a  mixture  with 
many  other  parts  of  the  pagan  and  Jewifh  religions. 

There  are  two  arguments  in  favour  of  oaths 
which  are  derived  from  the  new  teftament,  and  which 
remain  to  be  refuted. —  ift.  St.  Paul  ufes  feveral  ex- 
preffions  in  his  epiftles  which  amount  to  oaths,  and 
even  declares  "  an  oath  to  be  the  end  of  ftrife."  It 
was  the  character  of  St.  Paul,  that  he  became  all 
things  to  all  men.  He  circumcifed  as  well  as  baptized 
Jews,  and  he  proves  the  truth  of  revelation  by  a  quota 
tion  from  a  heathen  poet.  Oaths  were  a  part  of  the 
Jewifh  and  pagan  inftitutions — and,  like  feveral  other 
ceremonies,  for  fome  time,  continued  to  retain  a 
flrong  hold  of  the  prejudices  of  the  new  converts  to 
chriftianity.  But  the  above  words  of  the  Apoftle, 
which  have  been  urged  in  favor  of  fwearing,  are  by  no 
means  intended  to  apply  to  common  life.  They  have 
a  retrofpeft  to  the  promife  made  to  Abraham  of  the 
coming  of  the  Median,  and  were  defigned  to  (hew  the 


I3'4  ON    OATHS. 

certainty  of  that  event  in  a  language  which  was  accom 
modated  to  the  idea  of  the  Jewifli  nation. 

2d.  It  has  beeen  faid,  that  the  great  Jehovah 
frequently  fwears,  both  in  the  old  and  new  teftament, 
ar.d  that  the  angel  who  is  to  found  the  lafl  trumpet 
will  ftfwearthat  time  fhallbe  no  more."  Every  expreffi- 
on  of  this  kind  fhould  be  confidered  as  an  accomodation 
to  Jewifl;  and  pagan  cuftoms,  in  order  to  render  the 
truths  of  revelation  more  intelligible  and  acceptable. 
The  Supreme  Being,  for  the  fame  reafons,  often 
afiumes  to  h.imfelf  the  violent  paffions,  and  even  the 
features  and  fenfes  of  men  j  and  yet  who  can  fuppofe 
it  proper  to  afcribe  either  of  them  to  a  Being,  one 
of  whofe  perfections  confifts  in  his  exifting  as  a  pure 
unchangeable  fpirit. 

If  oaths  are  contrary  to  rcafon,  and  have  a  pernicious 
influence  upon  morals  and  the  order  of  fociety  ;  and 
above  all,  if  they  are  contrary  to  the  precepts  and 
fpirit  of  the  gofpd ;  it  becomes  legiflatovs  and  minis 
ters  of  the  gofpel  to  confider  how  far  they  are  refponfi- 
ble  for  all  the  falfehood,  profane  fvvearing  and  perjury 
that  exift  in  fociety.  It  is  in  the  power  of  legiflatcrs 
to  aboliih  oaths,  by  expunging  them  from  our  laws  ; 
.and  it  is  in  the  power  of  miniflers  of  the  gofpel,  by 
their  influence  and  example,  to  render  truth  fo  fimpie 
and  obligatory,  that  human  governments  fhall  be 
afhamed  to  afk  any  other  mode  of  declaring  it,  from 
G&FJftijffij)  than  by  a  bare  affirmation. 


ON    OATHS. 


The  friends  of  virtue  and  freedom  have  beheld, 
with  great  pleafure,  a  new  conftitution  eftabliihed 
in  the  United  States,  whofe  objects  are  peace,  union  and. 
jujticz.  It  will  be  in  the  power  of  the  firft  congrefs 
that  fhall  aft  under  this  conftitution,  to  fet  the  world 
an  example  of  enlightened  policy,  by  framing  laws 
that  fhall  command  obedience  without  the  abfurd  and 
improper  obligation  of  oaths.  By  this  means  they 
will  add  the  reftoration  and  eftablifhment  of  TRUTH, 
to  the  great  and  valuable  objects  of  the  conftitution 
that  have  been  mentioned. 

Jan.  20   1789. 


AN  INQUIRY  INTO  THE  EFFECTS  OF  PUBLIC  PU 
NISHMENTS  UPON  CR1M  INALS,  AND  UPON  SOCIETY. 
READ  IN  THE  SOCIETY  FOR  PROMOTING  POLITI 
CAL  ENQUIRIES,  CONVENED  AT  THE  HOUSE  OF 

BENJAMIN   FRANKLIN,  ESQ^,    IN  PHILADELPHIA, 
MARCH   pth,   1787. 

"  Accuftomed  to  look  up  to  thofe  nations  from  whom  we  have  derived 
our  origin,  for  our  laws,  oar  opinions,  and  our  manners  j  we  have  re 
tained,  with  undiftinguifliing  reverence,  their  errors,  with  their  im 
provements;  have  blended,  with  our  public  inititutions,  the  policy  of 
diffimilar  counfrics  ;  and  have  grafted,  on  an  infant  commonwealth, 
the  manners  of  ancient  and  corrupted  monarchies."  PREFACE  TO 

THE  LAWS  OF     THE    SOCIETY     FOR     POLITICAL     EM  QJL'IR  IES. 


TJ 
\ 


I  HE  defign  of  punifliment  is  faid  to  be,  ift, 
to  reform  the  pcrfon  who  fuffers  it  ;  2dly, 
to  prevent  the  perpetration  of  crimes,  by  exciting  ter 
ror  in  the  minds  of  fpeftators  ;  and,  3dly,  to  remove 
thofe  perfons  from  fociety,  who  have  manifefted,  by 
their  tempers  and  crimes,  that  they  are  unfit  to  live 
in  it. 

From  the  firft  inftitution  of  governments,  in  every 
age  and  country  (with  but  a  few  exceptions)  legifla- 
tors  have  thought  that  punimments  fhould  be  public, 
in  order  to  anfwer  the  two  firft  of  thefe  intentions. 
It  will  require  fome  fortitude  to  combat  opinions  that 
Lave  been  fan£lified  by  fuch  long  and  general  preju- 


AN    ENQUIRY  INTO  THE  EFFECTS,  &C.  137 

and  fupported  by  univerfal  practice.  But  truth 
in  government,  as  well  as  in  philofophy,  is  of  pro- 
gre/Tive  growth.  As  in  philofophy,  we  often  arrive 
at  truth  by  rejecting  the  evidence  of  our  fenfes ;  fo 
in  government,  we  often  arrive  at  it,  after  divorcing 
our  firrt  thoughts.  Reafon,  though  depofed  and  op- 
prefTedj  is  the  only  juft  fovereign  of  the  human  mind. 
Difcoveries,  it  is  true,  have  been  made  by  accident  ; 
but  they  have  derived  their  credit  and  ufefulnefs  only 
from  their  according  with  the  decifions  of  reafon. 

In  medicine,  above  every  other  branch  of  philofophy, 
we  perceive  many  inftances  of  the  want  of  relation 
between  the  apparent  caufe  and  effect.  Who,  by 
reafoning  a  priori,  would  fuppofe,  that  the  hot  regimen 
was  not  preferable  to  the  cold,  in  the  treatment  of 
the  fmall-pox  ?  But  experience  teaches  us,  that  this 
is  not  the  cafe.  Caufe  and  effect  appear  to  be  rela 
ted  in  philofophy,  like  the  objects  of  chemiftry.  Simi 
lar  bodies  often  repel  each  other,  while  bodies  that 
are  diffimilar  in  figure,  weight  and  quality,  often 
unite  together  with  impetuofity.  With  our  prefent 
imperfect  degrees  of  knowledge  of  the  properties  of 
bodies,  we  can  difcover  thefe  chemical  relations  only 
by  experiment.  The  fame  may  be  faid  of  the  connec 
tion  between  caufe  and  effeft,  in  many  parts  of  govern 
ment.  This  connection  often  accords  with  reafon, 
while  it  is  repugnant  to  our  fenfes — aud  when  this  is 
not  the  cafe,  from  our  inability  to  perceive  it,  it  forces 
T 


338  AX  EK-QUIRY    INTO  THE  EFFECTS  OF 

our  confent  from  the  teftimony  of  experience  and  ob- 
fervatien. 

It  has  Been  remarked,  that  the  profefiion  of  arms1 
ewes  its  prefent  rank,  as  a  fcience,  to  its  having  been 
refcued,  fince  the  revival  of  letters,  from  the  hands  of 
mere  foldiers,  and  cultivated  by  men  acquainted  with 
other  branches  of  literature.  The  reafon  of  this  is  plain. 
Truth  is  an  unit.  It  is  the  fame  thing  in  war — philo- 
fophy — medicine — morals — religion  and  government ; 
and  in  proportion  as  we  arrive  at  it  in  one  fcience,  we 
fhall  difcover  it  in  ethers. 

After  this  apology,  for  difienting  from  the  eftablifh- 
*e;l  opinions  and  practice,  upon  the  fubjecr,  of  public 
punifhments,  I  (hall  take  the  liberty  of  declaring,  that 
the  great  ends  propofed,  are  not  to  be  obtained  by 
them  ;  and  that,  on  the  contrary,  v\\  public  punifhments 
tend  to  make  bad  men  worfe,  and  to  increafe  crimes, 
by  their  influence  upon  fociety. 

I.  The  reformation  of  a  criminal  can  never  be  ef 
fected  by  a  public  puniilmient,  for  the  following  rea- 
fons. 

i  ft.  As  it  is  always  connected  with  infamy,  it  de- 
ftroys  iir  him  the  fenfe  of  fhame,  which  is  one  of  the 
ftrongeft  out-pofts  of  virtue. 

idly.  It  is  generally  of  fuch  fhort  duration,  as  to 
prouuee  none  of  thofe  changes  in  body  or  mind,  which 
urc  abfolutely  neceflary  to  reform  obftinate  habits  o^ 
vice. 


PUBLIC    PUNISHMENTS.  13^ 

3dly.  Experience  proves,  that  public  punimments 
have  ihcreafed  propenfities  to  crimes.  A  man  who  has 
loft  his  character  at  a  whipping-  port,  has  nothing  va 
luable  left  to  lofe  in  fociety.  Pain  has  begotten  infen- 
fibility  to  the  whip  *,  and  infamy  to  fhame.  Added  to 
his  old  habits  of  vice,  he  probably  feels  a  fpirit  of  re 
venge  againfl  the  whole  community,  whofe  laws  have 
inflicted  his  punimment  upon  him  j  and  hence  he  is  fli- 
mulated  to  add  to  the  number  and  enormity  of  his  out 
rages  upon  fociety.  The  long  duration  of  the  punim- 
ment,  when  public;  by  increafing  its  infamy,  ferves  on 
ly  to  increafe  the  evils  that  have  been  mentioned.  The 
criminals,  who  were  fentenced  to  work  in  the  prefence 
of  the  City  of  London,  upon  the  Thames,  during  the 
late  war,  were  prepared  by  it,  for  the  perpetration  of 
every  crime,  as  foon  as  they  were  fet  at  liberty  from 
their  confinement.  I  proceed, 

II.  To  (hew,  that  public  punimments,  fo  far  from 
preventing  crimes  by  the  terror  they  excite  in  the 
minds  of  fpectators,  are  directly  calculated  to  produce 
them. 

All  men,  when  they  fuffer,  difcover  either  fortitude, 
infenfibility,  or  difirefs.  Let  us  inquire  into  the  effects 
of  each  of  thefe  upon  the  minds  of  fpectators. 

i  ft.  Fortitude  is  a  virtue,  that  feizes  fo  forcible  upon 
our  efteem,  that  wherever  we  fee  it,  it  never  fails  to 
weaken,  or  to  obliterate,  our  deteftation  of  the  crimes 
\yith  which  it  is  connected  in  criminals.  "  I  call  upon 


140  AN  ENQUIRY  INTO  THE  EFFECTS  OF 

*'  you/  faid  major  Andre,  at  the  place  of  execution 
to  his  attendants  "  to  bear  witncfs,  gentlemen,  that 
«  I  die  like  a  brave  man."  The  effect  of  this  fpeech 
upon  the  American  army  is  well  known.  The  fpy 
was  loft  in  the  hero  :  and  indignation,  every  where, 
gave  way  to  admiration  and  praife.  But  this  is  not 
all :  the  admiration,  which  fortitude,  under  fuffbring, 
excites,  has  in  fome  inftances  excited  envy.  In  Den 
mark  uncommon  pains  are  taken  to  prepare  criminals 
for  death,  by  the  converfation  and  inftructions  of  the 
clergy.  After  this,  they  are  conducted  to  the  place 
of  execution  with  uncommon  pomp  and  folerrmity. 
The  criminals,  under  thefe  circumflances,  fuffer  death 
with  meeknefs — piety — and  fometimes  with  dignity. 
Thefe  effects  of  this,  I  have  been  well  informed  have 
been,  in  feveral  inflances,  to  induce  deluded  people 
to  feign  or  confefs  crimes,  which  they  had  never  com 
mitted,  on  purpofe  to  fecure  to  themfelves  a  confpi- 
cuous  death,  and  a  certain  entrance  into  happinefs. 
There  is  fomething  in  the  prefence  of  a  number  of 
fpectators,  which  is  calculated  to  excite  and  flrength- 
cn  fortitude  in  a  fufFerer.  "  It  is  not  fo]  difficult  a 
thing,"  faid  Lewis  XIV.  to  his  courtiers,  who  flood 
round  his  death-bed,  "  to  die,  as  I  expected."  "  No 
*'  wonder,"  fays  Voltaire,  who  relates  this  anecdote, 
«<  for  all  men  die  with  fortitude,  who  die  in  company." 
The  bravery  of  fbldiers  is  derived  in  a  great  degree, 
from  the  operation  of  this  principle  in  the  human 
mind. 


PUBLIC    PUNISHMENTS.  14! 

adly.  If  criminals  difcover  infenfibility  under  their 
punifhments,  the  effect  of  it  mud  be  flill  more  fatal 
upon  fociety.  It  removes,  inftead  of  exciting  terror. 
In  fome  inftances,  I  conceive  it  may  excite  a  defire  in 
the  minds  of  perfons  whom  debt  or  fecret  guilt  has 
made  miferable,  to  feek  an  end  of  their  diftreffes  in 
the  fame  enviable  apathy  to  evil.  Should  this  infen 
fibility  be  connected  with  chearfulnefs,  which  is  fome- 
times  the  cafe,  it  muft  produce  ftill  more  unfriendly 
effects  upon  fociety.  But  terrible  muft  be  the  con- 
fequence  of  this  infenfibility  and  chearfulnefs,  if  they 
fhould  lead  criminals  to  retaliate  upon  the  inhuman 
curiofity  of  fpedtators,  by  profane  or  indecent  infults 
or  converfation. 

3dly.  The  effects  of  diftrefs  in  criminals,  though 
lefs  obvious  are  not  lefs  injurious  to  fociety,  than  forti 
tude  or  infenfibility.  By  an  immutable  law  of  our 
nature,  diftrefs  of  all  kinds,  whenjeen,  produces  fympa- 
thy,  and  a  difpofition  to  relieve  it.  This  fympathy, 
in  generous  minds,  is  not  leffened  by  the  diftrefs  being 
the  offspring  of  crimes :  on  the  contrary,  even  the 
crimes  themfelves  are  often  palliated  by  the  reflection 
that  they  were  the  unfortunate  confequences  of  extreme 
poverty — of  feducing  company — or  of  the  want  of 
a  virtuous  education,  from  the  lofs  or  negligence 
of  parents  in  early  life.  Now,  as  the  diftrefs  which 
the  criminals  fufFcr,  is  the  effed  of  a  law  of  the  ftate, 
which  cannot  be  refifted,  the  fympathy  of  the  fpec- 
tator  is  rendered  abortive,  and  returns  empty  to  the 


V4-2  AN    ENQUIRY    INTO  THE    EFFECTS    Oi 

bofom  in  which  it  was  awakened.  Let  U3  briefly 
examine  the  confequences  of  this  abortive  fympathy 
in  fociety.  It  will  not  be  neccfiary  here  to  dwell 
upon  all  the  advantages  of  this  principle  in  human 
nature.  It  will  be  fufficient  to  obferve,  that  it  is  the 
vicegerent  of  the  divine  benevolence  in  our  world. 
It  is  intended  to  bind  up  all  the  wounds  which  fin 
and  death  have  made  among  mankind.  It  has  foun 
ded  hofpitals — erected  charity-fchools — and  connected 
the  extremes  of  happinefs  and  mifery  together  in  every 
part  of  the  globeC  •  Above  all,  fenfibility  is  the  centi- 
nelof  the  moral  faculty.  It  decides  upon  the  quality 
of  the  actions  before  they  reach  that  divine  principle 
of  the  foul.  It  is  of  itfelf,  to  ufe  the  words  of  an 
elegant  female  poet*, 

«  A  haily   moral — a   fudden  fenfe   of  right." 

If  fuch  are  the  advantages  of  fenfibility,  now  what 
jinuil  be  the  conferences  to  fociety,  of  extirpating  or 
weakening  it  in  the  human  breaft  ?  But  public  punifh- 
ments  are  calculated  to  produce  this  effect.  To  prove 
this,  I  mud  borrow  an  analogy  from  the  animal 
oeconomy. — The  fenfibility  of  the  human  body  is  faid 
to  be  active  and  pnffive.  The  firii  is  connected  with 
motion  and  fenfation  ;  the  fccond  only  with  fenfation, 
The  firft  is  increafed,  the  itcond  is  diminifhed,  by  the 
repetition  of  imprdlions.  The  fame  phenomena  take 
place  in  the  human  mind.  Senfibility  here  is  both  acl'm 
s/i't'.  Pafiive  fenfibilit  islelTcned,  while  that  which 


PUNISHMENT?.  143 

Is  active  is  increafed  by  habit.  The  paffive  fenfibility 
of  a  phyficiun,  to  the  diftrefs  of  his  patients,  is  al 
ways,  dlrninifhed,  but  his  active  fenfibility  is  always 
increafed  by  time  ;  hence  we  find  young  phyficians 
feel  mod —  but  old  phyficians,  with  lefs  feeling,  dif* 
fcvfr  rnoft  fympathy  with  their  patients. 

If  fuch  be  the  conftitution  of  our  minds,  then  the 
effects,  of  diftrefs  upon  them  will,  be,  not  only  to  def- 
troy  pailive,  but  to  eradicate  active  fenfibility  from 
them.  The  principle  of  fympathy,  after  being  often 
oppofed  by  the  law  of  the  ftate,  which  forbids  it  to 
relieve  the  diftrefs  it  commiferates,  will  ceafe  to  act 
altogether  •,  and,  from  this  defect  of  action,  and  the 
habit  arifing  from  it,  will  foon  lofe  its  place  in  the 
human  bredl.  Mifery  of  every  kind  will  then  be 
contemplated  without  emotion  or  fympathy. — The 
widow  and  the  orphan — the  naked — the  fick,  and  the 
prifoner,  v/ill  have  no  avenue  to  our  fervices  or  our 
charity — and  what  is  worfe  than  all,  when  the  cen, 
tinel  of  our  moral  faculty  is  removed,  there  is  no 
thing  to  guard  the  mind  from  the  inroads  of  every 
pofitive  vice. 

I  pafs  over  the  influen  ce  of  this  fympathy  in  its  firft 
operation  upon  the  government  of  the  (late.  While 
we  pity,  v/e  fecretly  condemn  the  law  which  inflicts 
the  punimmcnf :  hence,  arifes  a  want  of  refpect  for 
was  in  general,  and  a  more  feeble  union  of  the 
great  ties  of  government. 


144  AN  ENQUIRY   INTO  THE  EFFECTS 

I  have  only  to  add,  upon  this  part  of  my 
that  the  pernicious  effects  of  fympathy,  where  it  does 
not  terminate  in  aclion,  are  happily  provided  againft 
by  the  Jewifh  law.  Hence'we  read  of  a  prohibition 
againft  it  where  perfons  fuffer  for  certain  crimes.  To 
fpectators,  the  voice  of  heaven;  under  fuch  circumftan- 
ces,  is,  "  thine  eye  fhall  not  pity  him." 

4thly.  But  it  is  poffible  the  characters  or  conduct 
of  criminals  may  be  fuch,  as  to  excite  indignation 
or  contempt  inftead  of  pity,  in  the  minds  of  fpeo 
tators.  Let  us  there  enquire,  briefly,  into  the  effects 
of  thefe  paffions  upon  the  human  mind.  Every 
body  acknowledges  our  obligations  to  univerfal  benevo 
lence  \  but  thefe  cannot  be  fulfilled,  unlefs  we  love 
the  whole  human  race,  however  diverfified  they  may 
be  by  weaknefs  or  crimes.  The  indignation  or  con 
tempt  which  is  felt  for  this  unhappy  part  of  the  great 
family  of  mankind,  muft  necefTarily  extinguifli  a  large; 
portion  of  this  univerfal  love.  Nor  is  this  all 
the  men,  or  perhaps  the  women  whofe  perfons  we 
deteft,  poffefs  fouls  and  bodies  compofed  of  the 
fame  materials  as  thofe  of  our  friends  and  relations. 
They  are  bone  of  their  bone  ;  and  were  originally 
fafhioned  with  the  fame  fpirits.  What,  then,  muft  be 
the  confcqucnce  of  a  familiarity  with  fuch  objects  of 
horror,  upon  our  attachments  and  duties  to  our  friend* 
and  connections,  or  to  the  reft  of  mankind  ?  If  a 
fpcclator  mould  give  himfelf  time  to  reflect  upon 
fuch  a  fight  of  human  depravity,  he  would  naturally 


PUBLIC    PUNISHMENTS.  14$ 

recoil  from  the  embraces  of  friendship,  and  the  endear 
ments  of  domeftic  life,  and  perhaps  fay  with  an  unfor 
tunate  great  man,  after  having  experienced  an  iuftancc 
of  treachery  in  a  friend,  "  Oh  !  that  I  were  a  dog, 
"  that  I  might  not  call  man  my  brother."  The 
Jewilh  law  forbade  more  than  nine  and  thirty  lames, 
left  the  fufFerer  mould  afterwards  become  «  vile"  in 
the  fight  of  fpe&ators.  It  is  the  prerogative  of  God 
alone,  to  .contemplate  the  vices  of  bad  men .  without 
withdrawing  from  them  the  fupport  of  his  benevolence. 
Hence  we  find,  when  he  appeared  in  the  world,  in 
the  perfon  of  his  Son,  he  did  not  exclude  criminals 
from  the  benefits  of  his  goodnefs.  He  difrniffed  a 
women  caught  in  the  perpetration  of  a  crime,  which 
was  capital  by  the  Jewifh  law,  with  a  friendly  admoni 
tion  :  and  he  opened  the  gates  of  paradife  to  a  dying 
thief. 

5thly.  But  let  us  fup.pofe,  that  criminals  are  viewed 
without  fympathy — indignation  —or  contempt. — This 
will  be  the  cafe,,  either  when  the  fpeclatcrs  are  them- 
felves  hardened  with  vice,  or  when  they  are  too  young, 
or  too  ignorant,  to  connect  the  ideas  of  crimes  and 
punifhments  together.  Here,  then,  a  new  fource  of 
injury  arifes  from  the  public  nature  of  punifhments. 
Every  portion  of  them  will  appear,  to  fpe&ators  of 
this  description,  to  be  mere  arbitrary  acts  of  cruelty: 
hence  will  arife  a  difpofition  to  exercife  the  fame 
arbitrary  cruelty  over  the  feelings  arid  lives  of  their 
fellow  creatures.  To  fee  blows,  or  a  halter,  impoJGed 

U 


AN    ENQUIRY    INTO   THE    EFFECTS    OF 

in  cold  blood  upon  a  criminal,  \vhofe  pa  {live 
behaviour,  operating  with  the  ignorance  of  the  fpetta- 
tors,  indicates  innocence  more  than  vice,  cannot  fail 
of  removing  the  natural  obftacles  to  violence  and  mur 
der  in  the  human  mind. 

6thly.  Public  punifhments  make  many  crimes  known 
to  perfons  who  would  otherwife  have  patted  through 
life  in  a  total  ignorance  of  them.  They  moreover 
produce  fuch  a  familiarity,  in  the  minds  of  fpeclators, 
with  the  crimes  for  which  they  are  inflicted,  that, 
in  fome  inftances,  they  .have,  been  known  to  excite  a 
propenfity  for  them.  Jt  has  been  remarked,  that  a 
certain  immorality  has  always  kept  pace  with  pub 
lic  admonitions  in  the  churches  in  the  eaftern  flates. 
In  proportion  as  this  branch  of  ecclefiaftical  difcipline 
has  declined,  fewer  children  have  been  born  out  of 
wedlock. 

7thly.  Ignominy  is  univcrfally  acknowledged  to  be 
a  worfe  punifhment  than  death.  Let  it  not  be  fup- 
ppfed,  from  this  circiimftance,  that  it  operates  more 
than  the  fear  of  death  in  preventing  crimes.  On  the 
contrary,  like  the  indifcriminate  punifhmcnt  of  death, 

it  not    only   confounds  and   levels   all   crimes,  but  by 

_ 
increafmg  the  difproportion  between  crimes  and  puriifti- 

ments,  it  creates  a  hatred  of  all  law  and  govern 
ment  •,  and.  thus  'difpofes  to  the  perpetration  of  every 
crime.  Lav/s  can  only  be  refpe&cd  and  obeyed,  while 
they  bear  an  exact  proportion  to  crimes. — The  law 


PUBLIC    PUNISHMENTS.  147 

which  punifhes  the  fhooting  of  a  fwan  with  deatha  in 
England,  has  produced  a  thoufand  murders.  Nor  is 
this  all  the  mifchievous  influence,  which  the  punifh- 
ment  of  ignominy  has  upon  fociety.  While  murder 
is  punifhed  with  death,  the  man  who  robs  on  the 
high-way,  or  breaks  open  a  houfe,  muft  want  the 
common  feelings  and  principles  which  belong  to 
human  nature,  if  he  does  not  add  murder  to  theft,  in 
order  to  fcreen  himfelf,  if  he  mould  be  detected,  from 
that  puniihment  which  is  acknowledged  to  be  more 
terrible  than  death. 

It  would  feem  ftrange,  that  ignominy  fhould  ever 
have  been  adopted,  as  a  milder  punimment  than  death, 
did  we  not  know  that  the  human  mind  feldom  arrives 
at  truth  upon  any  fubjecl:,  till  it  has  firfl  reached 
the  extremity  of  error. 

Sthly.  But  may  not  the  benefit  derived  to  fociety, 
by  employing  criminals  to  repair  public  roads,  or  to 
clean  ftreets,  overbalance  the  evils  that  have  been 
mentioned  ?  I  anfwer,  by  no  means.  On  the  contra 
ry,  befides  operating  in  one9  or  in  #//the  ways  that  have 
been  defcribed,  the  practice  of  employing  criminals  in 
public  labour,  will  render  labour  of  every  kind  difre- 
putable,  more  efpecially  that  fpecies  of  it,  which  has 
for  its  objects  the  convenience  or  improvement  of  the 
ftate.  It  is  a  well-known  faft,  that  white  men  foon 
decline  labour  in  the  Weft  Indies,  and  in  the  fouthern 
ftates,  only  becaufe  the  agriculture,  and  mechanical 


148  AN    ENQUIRY    INTO    THE    EFFECTS  OF 

employments  of  thofe  countries,  are  carried  on  chiefly 
by  negro  (laves.  But  I  object  further  to  the  employ, 
ment  of  criminals  on  the  high-ways  and  flreets,  from 
the  idienefs  it  will  create,  by  alluring  fpe£lators  from 
their  bufmefs,  and  thereby  depriving  the  (late  of  great 
er  benefits  from  the  induftry  of  its  citizens,  than  it  can 
ever  derive  from  the  labour  of  criminals. 

The  hiftory  of  public  punifhments,  in  every  age  and 
country,  is  full  of  facts,  which  fupport  every  principle 
that  has  been  advanced.  What  has  been  the  operation 
of  the  feventy  thoufand  executions,  that  have  taken 
place  in  Great  Britain  front  the  year  1688,  to  the  pre- 
fent  day,  upon  the  morals  and  manners  of  the  inhabi 
tants  of  that  ifland  ?  Has  not  every  prifon-door  that  has 
been  opened,  to  conduct  criminals  to  public  mame  and 
punifhment,  unlocked,  at  the  fame  time,  the  bars  of 
moral  obligation  upon  the  minds  often  times  the  num 
ber  of  people  5  How  often  do  we  find  pockets  picked 
under  a  gallows,  and  highway  robberies  committed 
in  fight  of  a  gibbet  ?  From  whence  arofe  the  confpira^ 
cic3,  with  afTafiinations  and  poifonings,  which  prevailed 
in  the  decline  of  the  Roman  empire  ?  Were  they  not 
favoured  by  the  public  executions  of  the  amphitheatre  ? 
It  is  therefore  to  the  combined  operation  of  indolence, 
prejudice,  ignorance  and  the  defect  of  culture  of  the 
human  heart,  alone,  that  we  are  to  afcribe  the  conti 
nuance  of  public  punifliments,  after  fuch  long  and  mul 
tiplied  experience  of  their  inefficacy  to  reform  bad  men, 
or  to  prevent  the  commifiion  of  crin-ies. 


PUBLIC    PUNISHMENTS. 

III.  Let  it  not  be  fuppofed,  from  any  thing  that  has 
been  faid,  that  I  wifh  to  abolifh  punifliments.  Far 
from  it :  I  wifh  only  to  change  the  place  and  manner 
of  inflicting  them,  fo  as  to  render  them  effectual  for 
the  reformation  of  criminals,  and  beneficial  to  fociety. 
Before  I  propofe  a  plan  for  this  purpofe,  I  beg  leave 
to  deliver  the  following  general  axioms  : 

ift.  The  human  mind  is  difpofed  to  exaggerate 
every  thing  that  is  removed  from  it,  by  time  or 

place. 

2dly.  It  is  equally  difpofed  to  enquire  after,  and  to 
magnify  fuch  things  as  are  facred. 

3cily.  It  always  afcribes  the  extremes  in  qualities, 
to  things  that  are  unknown  ;  and  an  excefs  in  duration, 
to  indefinite  time. 

4thly.  Certain  arid  definite  evil,  by  being  long  con 
templated,  ceafes  to  be  dreaded  or  avoided.  A  fol- 
dier  foon  lofes,  from  habit  the  fear  of  death  in 
battle  ;  but  retains,  in  common  with  other  people,  the 
terror  of  death  from  ficknefs  or  drowning. 

5thly.  An  attachment  to  kindred  and  fociety  is  one 
of  the  ftrongeft  feelings  of  the  human  heart.  A  fepe- 
paration  from  them,  therefore  has  ever,  been  confider- 
ed  as  one  of  the  fevereil  punifliments  that  can  be  in- 
flidlecl  upon  man. 


I5P  AN    ENQUIRY    INTO    THE    EFFECTS    OF 

6thly.  Perfonal  liberty  is  fo  dear  to  all  men,  that 
the  lofs  of  it,  for  an  indefinite  time,  is  a  punifh- 
juent  lb  fevere,  that  death  has  often  been  preferred 
to  it. 

Thefe  axioms  being  admitted  (for  they  cannot  be 
controverted)  I  fhall  proceed  next  to  apply  them, 
by  fuggefting  a  plan  for  the  punifhment  of  crimes, 
which,  I  flatter  myfelf,  will  anfwer  all  the  ends  that 
have  been  propofad  by  them. 

i.  Let  a  large  houfe  be  erected  in  a  convenient  part 
of  the  flate.  Let  it  be  divided  into  a  number  of  apart 
ments,  referving  one  large  room  for  public  worfhip. 
Let  cells  be  provided  for  the  folitary  confinement  of 
fuch  perfons  as  are  of  a  refractory  temper.  Let  the 
houfe  be  fupplied  with  the  materials,  and  inftrumcnts 
for  carrying  on  fuch  manufactures  as  can  be  con 
ducted  with  the  lead  inftruction,  or  previous  know 
ledge.  Let  a  garden  adjoin  this  houfe,  in  which 
the  culprits  may  occafionally  work,  and  walk.  This 
fpot  will  have  a  beneficial  effect  not  only  upon  health, 
but  morab,  for  it  will  lead  them  to  a  familiarity  with 
thofe  pure  and  natural  objects  which  arc  calculated  to 
renew  the  connection  of  fallen  man  with  his  creator. 
Let  the  name  of  this  houfe  convey  an  idea  of  its  bene 
volent  and  falutary  defign,  but  let  it  by  no  means  be  cal 
led  a  prifon,  or  by  ony  other  name  that  is  aflbciated 
with  what  is  infamous  in  the  opinion  of  mankind. 
Let  the  direction  of  this  inftitution  be  committed  to 


PUBLIC    PUNISHMENTS.  15  I 

perfons  of  eftablifried  characters  for  probity,  difcretkm 
and  humanity,  who  (hall  be  amenable  at  all  times  to 

the  legiflature,  or  courts  of  the  ftate. 

1 
2dly.  Let  the  various  kinds  of  punimment,  that  are 

to  be  inflicted  on  crimes,  be  defined  and  fixed  By  law. 
But  let  no  notice  be  taken,  in  the  law,  of  the  punifh- 
ment  that  awaits  any  particular  crime.  By  thefe  means? 
we  fhall  prevent  the  mind  from  accuftoming  itfelf  to 
the  view  of  thefe  punifhmeats,  fo  as  to  deflrcy  their 
terror  by  habit*  The  indifference  and  levity  with 
which  fome  men  fuffer  the  punifhment  of  hanging, 
is  often  occafioncd  by  an  infenfibility  which  is'contrac- 
ted  by  the  frequent  anticipation  of  it,  or  by  the  .appear 
ance  'of  the  gallows  fuggefling  the  remeVnbrance  of 
fcei-ies  of  criminal  feflivity,  in  which  it  was  the  fubje<3: 
of'  humour  or  ridicule.  Befides,-.punifnments  {hoiikl 
always  be  varied  in  degree,  according  to  the  temper 

of  criminals,  or- the -progrefs  of  their  reformation. 

-\ 

. 

3dly.  Let  the  duration  of  punimments,  for  all  crimes, 
be  limitted  :  fcut*let  this  limitation  be  unknown. 
I  conceive  this  fecr^t  to  be  of  the  utmolt  importance 
in  reforming  criminals,  and  preventing  crimes.  The 
imagination,  when  agitated  with  uncertainty,  will  fel- 
dom  fail  of  connecting  the  lorigeft  duration  of  pu- 
nifhment,  with  the  fmalleft  crime. 

I  cannot  conceive  any  think  more  calculated   to  dif- 

;  .     - 

terror    through  a    community,  and     thereby  to 


152  AN    ENQUIRY    INTO    THE    EFJECTS    OF 

prevent  crimes,  than  the  combination  of  the  three  cir_ 
cumftances  that  have  been  mentioned  in  punilhmcnts* 
Children  will  prefs  upon  the  evening  fire  in  liileiiing 
to  the  tales  that  will  be  fpread  from  this  abode  of 
mifery.  Superilition  will  add  to  its  horrors  :  and  ro 
mance  will  find  in  it  ample  materials"  for  fiction, 
which  cannot  fail  of  increafing  the  terror  of  its 

punifhments, 

. 

Let  it  not  be  objected,  f*ia£  the  terror  produced 
by  the  hiftory  of  thefe  fecret  punifhments,  will  ope 
rate  like  the  abortive  fympathy  I  have  defer ibed. 
Active  fympathy  can  be'  fully  excited  only  through 
the  avenues  of  the  eyes  and  the  ears.  IV. fides,  the 
recollection  that  the  only  defign  of  puniinmcrit  is  the 
reformation  of  the  criminal  will  fufpend  the  aclion 
of  fympathy  altogether.  We.liften  with  pale nefs  to 
the  hiftory  of  a  tedious  and  painful  operatic"  in  fur. 
gevy,  -without  a  wifh  to  arrcft  the  hand  of  tiic  ope 
rator.  Our  fympathy,  which  in  this  cafe  is  of  the 
pajjive  kind,  is  mixed  with  pleafure,  when  we  are 
afTured,  that  there  is  a  certainty  of  the  operation  being 
the  means  of  faving  the  life  of  the  fufferer. 

Nor  let  the  cxpence  of  erecting  and  fupporting  a 
houfe  of  repentance,  for  the  purpofes  that  have  been 
mentioned,  deter  us  from  the  undertaking.  It  would 
be  eafy  to  demonflrate,  that  it  will  not  c&ft  one 
fourth  as  much  as  the  maintenance  of  the  numerous 
jails  that  are  now  nectary  in  every  well  regulated 


PUBLIC    PUNISHMENTS.  IJJ 

ftate.  But  why  fhould  receptacles  be  provided  and 
fupported  at  an  immenfe  expenfe,  in  every  country, 
for  the  relief  of  perfons  afflicted  with  bodily  difor- 
ders,  and  an  objection  be  made  to  providing  a  place 
for  the  cure  of  the  difeafes  of  the  mind  ? 

The  nature — cLsgrees — and  duration  of  the  punifh- 
ments,  fhould  all  be  determined  beyond  a  certain  de 
gree,  by  a  court  properly  conflituted  for  that  purpofe, 
arid  whofe  bufmefs  it  mould  be  to  vifit  the  receptacle 
for  criminals  once  or  twice  a  year. 

I  am  aware  of  the  prejudices  of  freemen,  againfl  en- 
truiling  power  to  a  difcretionary  court.  But  let  it  be 
remembered,  that  no  power  is  committed  to  this  court, 
but  what  is  pofieffed  by  the  different  courts  of  juftice 
in  all  free  countries  •,  nor  fo  much  as  is  now  wifely  and 
neceflarily  poflefled  by  the  fupreme  and  inferior  courts, 
in  the  execution  of  the  penal  laws  of  Pennfylvania.  I 
fhall  fpend  no  time  in  defending  the  confiftency  of  pri 
vate  punifliments,  with  a  fafe  and  free  government. 
Truth,  upon  this  fubje&,  cannot  be  divided.  If  pub 
lic  punifhments  are  injurious  to  criminals  and  to  foci- 
.ety,  it  follows  that  crimes  fhould  be  punimed  in  private, 
or  not  punimed  at  all.  There  is  no  alternative.  The 
oppofition  to  private  punifhments,  therefore  is  founded 
altogether  in  prejudice,  or  in  ignorance  of  the  tr*e 
principles  of  liberty. 

,. 


154  AN  ENQUIRY    INTO  THE  EFFECTS  OF 

The  fafety  and  advantages  of  private  punifhments^ 
will  appear,  further,  when  I  add,  that  the  beft  governed 
families  and  fchools  are  thofe,  in  which  the  faults  of 
fervants  and  children  are  rebuked  privately,  and  where 
confinement  and  folitude  are  preferred  for  correction, 
to  the  ufc  of  the  rod. 

In  order  to  render  thcfe  punifhments  effectual,  they 
{hould  be  accommodated  to  the  conftitutions  and 
tempers  of  the  criminals,  and  the  peculiar  nature  of 
their  crimes.  Peculiar  attention  fhould  be  paid,  like- 
wife,  in  the  nature,  degrees,  and  duration  of  punifh 
ments,  to  crimes,  as  they  arife  from  paffion,  habit 
or  temptation. 

The  punifhments,  fhould  confift  of  bodily  pain,  la 
bour,  watchfulnefs,  folitude,  and  fdence.  They  mould 
all  be  joined  with  cleanlinefs  and  a  fimple  diet.  To 
afcertain  the  nature,  degrees,  and  duration  pf  the  bodily 
pain,  will  require  fome  knowledge  of  the  principles 
of  fenfation,  and  of  the  fympathies  which  occur  in 
the  nervous  fyflem.  The  labour  mould  be  fo  regula 
ted  and  directed,  as  to  be  profitable  to  the  flate.  Befides 
employing  criminals  in  laborious  and  ufcful  manufac 
tures,  they  may  be  compelled  to  derive  all  their  fub- 
fiftance  from  a  farm  and  a  garden,  cultivated  by  their 
own  hands,  adjoining  the  place  of  their  confine 
ment. 

Thefe  punifhments  may  be  ufed  feparately,  or  more 
or  lefs  combined,  according  to  the  nature  of  the  crimes, 


PUBLIC    PUNISHMENTS.  155 

or  according  to  the  variations  of  the  conftitution  and 
temper  of  the  criminals.  In  the  application  of  them, 
the  utmoft  poffible  advantages  fhould  be  taken  of  the 
laws  of  the  aflbciation  of  ideas,  of  habit,  and  of  imi 
tation. 

To  render  thefe    phyfical  remedies  more  effe&ual 
they  mould  be  accompanied  by  regular  inftruclion  in 
the  principles  and   obligations  of  religion,  by  pcrfons 
appointed  for  that  purpofe. 

Thus  far  I  am  fupported,  in  the  application  of  the 
remedies  I  have  mentioned,  for  the  cure  of  crimes, 
by  the  fa6h  contained  in  Mr.  Howard's  hiftory  of 
prifons,  and  by  other  obfervations.  It  remains  yet 
to  prefcribe  the  fpfcific  punifhment  that  is  proper  for 
eaclifpeci/ic  crime.  Here  my  fubjecT:  begins  to  opprefs 
me.  I  have  no  more  doubt  of  every  crime  having  its 
cure  in  moral  and  phyfical  influence,  than  I  have  of 
the  efficacy  of  the  Peruvian  bark  in  curing  the  in 
termitting  fever.  The  only  difficulty  is,  to  find  out 
the  proper  remedy  or  remedies  for  particular  vices. 
Mr  Dufriche  de  Valaye,  in  his  elaborate  treatife  upon 
penal  laws,  has  performed  the  office  of  a  pioneer  upon 
this  difficult  fubje£t.  He  has  divided  crimes  into  claf- 
fes  ;  and  has  affixed  punifhments  to  each  of  them,  in 
a  number  of  ingenious  tables.  Some  of  the  connec 
tions  he  has  eftablifhed,  between  crimes  and  punifli- 
ments,  appear  to  be  juft.  But  many  of  his  punifliments 
are  contrary  to  the  firft  principles  of  adion  in  man  ; 


156  AN  ZNOJJIRY  INTO  THE  EFFECTS  OF 

and  all  of  them  are,  in  my  opinion,  improper,  as  far 
as  he  orders  them  to  be  inflicted  in  the  eye  of  die  public. 
His  attempt,  however,  is  laudable,  and  deierves  the 
praife  of  every  friend  to  mankind. 

If  the  invention  of  a  machine  for  facilitating  labour, 
has  been  repaid  with  the  gratitude  of  a  country,  how 
much  more  will  that  man  deferve,  who  fhall  invent  the 
mod  fpeedy  arid  effectual  methods  of  reftoring  the  vi 
cious  part  of  mankind  to  virtue  and  happinefs,  and  of 
extirpating  a  portion  of  vice  from  the  world  ?  Happy 
condition  of  human  affairs  !  when  humanity,  philo- 
fophy  and  chriftianity,  fhall  unite  their  influence  to 
teach  men,  that  they  are  brethren  •,  and  to  prevent 
their  preying  any  longer  upon  each  other  !  Happy 
citizens  of  the  United  States,  whofe  governments 
permit  them  to  adopt  every  difcovery  in  the  moral 
or  intellectual  world,  that  leads  to  thefe  benevolent 
purpofes  ! 

Let  it  net  be  objected,  that  it  will  be  impoffible  for 
men,  who  have  expiated  their  offences  by  the  mode  of 
punifliment  that  has  been  propofed,  to  recover  their 
former  connections  with  fociety.  This  objection  arifes 
from  an  unfortunate  afibciation  of  ideas.  The  infamy 
of  criminals  is  derived,  not  fo  much  from  the  remem 
brance  of  their  crimes,  as  from  the  recollection  of 
the  ignominy  of  their  pun imments.  Crimes  produce 
a  (lain,  which  may  be  waihed  out  by  reformation,  and 
which  frequently  wears  away  by  time  5  but  public 


PUBLIC    PUNISHMENTS.  157 

punifhmcnts  leave  fears  which  disfigure  the  whole 
chara&er ;  and  hence  perfons,  who  have  fuffered 
tliem,  are  ever  afterwards  viewed  with  horror  or  aver- 
fion.  If  crimes  were  expiated  by  private  difcipline,  and 
fucceeded  by  reformation,  criminals  would  probably 
fufFer  no  more  in  character  from  them,  than  men 
fufFer  in  their  reputation  or  ufefulnefs  from  the  punifh- 
ments  they  have  undergone  when  boys  at  fchool. 

I  am  fo  perfe&ly  fatisfied  of  the  truth  of  this  opinion, 
that  methinks  I  already  hear  the  inhabitants  of  our  vil 
lages  and  townfliips  counting  the  years  that  mail  com 
plete  the  reformation  of  one  of  their  citizens.  I  behold 
them  running  to  meet  him  on  the  day  of  his  deliverance. 
His  friends  and  family  bathe  his  cheeks  with  tears  of 
joy  ;  and  the  univerfal  fhout  of  the  neigbourhood  is, 
"  This  our  brother  was  loft,  and  is  found — was  dead 
and-  is  alive." 

It  has  long  been  a  defideratum  in  government,  that 
there  fliould  exift  in  it  no  pardoning  power,  fince  the 
certainty  of  punifliment  operates  fo  much  more  than 
its  feverity,  or  infamy,  in  preventing  crimes.  But  where 
punifhments  are  exceflive  in  degree,  or  infamous  from 
being  public,  a  pardoning  power  is  abfolutely  necef- 
fary.  Remove  their  feverity  and  public  infamy,  and 
a  pardoning  power  ceafes  to  be  necefiary  in  a  code  of 
criminal  jurifprudence.  Nay,  further — it  is  fuch  a 
defect  in  penal  laws,  as  in  ftfme  meafure  defeats  every 
invention  to  prevent  crimes,  or  to  cure  habits  of  vice. 


15  AN    ENQUIRY    INTO  THE    EFFECTS    OF 

If  punifhments  were  moderate,  juft,  and  private,  they 
would  exalt  the  feelings  of  public  juflice  and  benevo 
lence  fo  far  above  the  emotions  of  humanity  in  wit- 
neilos,  juries  and  judges,  that  they  would  forget  to 
conceal,  or  to  palliate  crimes  ;  and  the  certainty  of  pu- 
nifhment,  by  extinguifhing  all  hope  of  pardon  in  the 
criminal,  would  lead  him  to  connect  the  beginning 
of  his  repentance  with  the  laft  words  of  his  fentence 
of  condemnation.  To  obtain  this  great  and  falutary 
end,  there  mould  exiil  certain  portions  of  punimment, 
both  in  duration  and  degree,  which  mould  be  placed 
by  law  beyond  the  power  of  the  difcretionary  court 
before  mentioned,  to  fuorten  or  mitigate. 

I  have  faid  nothing  upon  the  manner  of  in- 
fiiding  death  as  a  punimment  for  crimes,  becaufe  I 
confidcr  it  as  an  improper  punimment  for  any  crime. 
Evnn  murder  itfelf  is  propagated  by  the  punimment 
of  death  for  murder.  Of  this  we  have  a  remarkable 
proof  in  Italy.  The  duke  of  Tufcany  foon  after 
the  publication  of  the  marquis  of  Beccaria's  excellent 
treatife  upon  this  fubjeet,  abolifhed  death  as  a  punifh- 
ment  for  murder.  A  gentleman,  who  redded  five 
years  at  Piu-i,  informed  me,  that  only  five  murders 
had  been  perpetrated  in  his  dominions  in  twenty 
years.  The  fame  gentleman  added,  that  after  his 
rcfidence  in  Tufcany,  he  fpent  three  months  in  Rome, 
where  death  is  frill  the  punifnment  of  murder,  and 
-where  executions, according  to  Dr.Moore,are  condudT> 
eil  with  peculiar  circumftanccs  of  public  parade.  Du- 


PUBLIC    PUNISHMENTS.  159 

ring  this  fliort  period,  there  were  ilxty  murders  com 
mitted  in  the  precincts  of  that  city.  It  is  remarkable, 
the  manners,  principles,  and  religion,  of  the  inhabitants 
of  Tufcany  and  Rome,  are  exactly  the  fame.  The 
abolition  of  death  alone,  as  a  punifhment  for  murder, 
produced  this  difference  in  the  moral  character  of 
the  two  nations. 

I  fufpecl:  the  attachment  to  death,  as  a  punifh 
ment  for  murder,  in  minds  otherwife  enlightened, 
upon  the  fubject  of  capital  punifhments ,  arifes  from 
a  falfe  interpretation  of  a  paflage  contained  in  the 
old  teftament,  and  that  is,  "  he  that  fheds  the  blood 
of  man,  by  man  (hall  his  blood  be  fhed."  This  has 
been  fuppofed  to  imply  that  blood  could  only  be  ex 
piated  by  blood.  But  I  am  difpofed  to  believe,  with 
a  late  commentator*  upon  this  text  of  fcripture,  that 
it  is  rather  a  prediction  than  a  law.  The  language  of 
it  is  fimply,  that  fuch  will  be  the  depravity  and 
folly  of  man,  that  murder,  in  every  age,  {hall  beget 
murder.  Laws,  therefore,  which  inflict  death  for 
murder,  are,  in  my  opinion,  as  unchriftian  as  thofe 
which  juftify  or  tolerate  revenge  ;  for  the  obligation? 
of  chriftianity  upon  individuals,  to  promote  repentance, 
to  forgive  injuries,  and  to  difcharge  the  duties  of 
univerfal  benevolence,  are  equally  binding  upon  Hates. 

The  power  over  human  life,  is  the  fole  prero 
gative  of  him  who  gave  it.  Human  laws,  therefore, 

*  The  reverer.d  Mr.  William  Turner,  in  the  feccnd  v>.!.  ci" 
•flhe  Literary  and  Phil  ofophical  Society  of  Manchester. 


l6o  AN  ENQUIRY   INTO  THE  EFFECTS  OF 

rife   in  rebellion  againft   this  prerogative,  wlicri  they 
transfer  it  to  human  hands. 

If  fociety  can  be  fecured  from  violence,  by  confining 
the  murderer,  fo  as  to  prevent  a  repetition  of  his 
crime,  the  end  of  extirpation  will  be  anfwered.  In 
confinement,  he  may  be  reformed  :  and  if  this  fhould 
prove  impracticable,  he  may  be  retrained  for  a  term 
of  years,  that  will  probably,  be  coeval  with  his  life. 

There  was  a  time,  when  the  punifhment  of  cap 
tives  with  death  or  fervitude,  and  the  indifcriminate 
deftruciion  of  peaceable  hufbandmen,  women,  and 
children,  were  thought  to  be  cficntial,  to  the  fuccefs. 
of  war,  and  the  fafety  of  flates.  But  experience  has 
taught  us,  that  this  is  not  the  cafe.  And  in  propor 
tion  as  humanity  has  triumphed  over  thefe  maxims 
of  faife  policy,  wars  have  been  lefs  frequent  and  terri 
ble,  and  nations  have  enjoyed  longer  intervals  of  in 
ternal  tranquility.  The  virtues  are  all  parts  of  a  circle. 
Whatever  is  humane,  is  wife — whatever  is  wife,  is 
juft — and  whatever  is  wife,  juft,  and  humane,  will 
be  found  to  be  the  true  intereft  of  flates,  whether 
criminals  or  foreign  enemies  are  the  objects  of  their 
legifiation. 

I  have  taken  no  notice  of  perpetual  banimment,  as 
n  kgal  punimment,  as  I  confider  it  the  next  in  de 
gree,  in  folly  and  cruelty,  to  the  punifhmerjt  of  death. 
If  the  receptacle  for  criminals,  which  has  been  pro- 


PUBLIC    PUNISHMENTS.  l6l 

pofed,  is  erected  in  a  remote  part  of  the  ftate,  it 
will  act  with  the  fame  force  upon  the  feelings  ofthe 
human  heart,  as  perpetual  banifliment.  Exile,  when 
perpetual,  by  deftroying  one  of  the  mofl  powerful  prin 
ciples  of  action  in  man,  viz.  the  love  of  kindred  and 
country,  deprives  us  of  all  the  advantages,  which 
might  be  derived  from  it,  in  the  bufinefs  of  reformation. 
While  certain  paffions  are  weakened,  this  noble  paflion 
is  ftrengthened  by  age :  hence,  by  preferring  this 
paflion  alive,  we  furnifh  a  principle,  which,  in  time 
may  become  an  overmatch  for  thofe  vicious  habits, 
which  feparated  criminals  from  their  friends  and  from 
fociety. 

Notwithftanding  this  teftimony  againft  the  punifh- 
ment  of  death  and  perpetual  banimment,  I  cannot  help 
adding,  that  there  is  more  mercy  to  the  criminal,  and 
lefs  injury  done  to  fociety,  by  both  of  them,  than  by 
public  infamy  and  pain,  without  them. 

The  great  art  of  furgery  has  been  faid  to  confift  in 
faving,  not  in  deftroying,  or  amputating  the  difeafed 
parts  of  the  human  body.  Let  governments  learn  to 
imitate,  in  this  refpect,  the  Ikill  and  humanity  of  the 
healing  art.  Nature  knows  no  wafte  in  any  of  her 
operations.  Even  putrefaction  itfelf  is  the  parent  of 
ufeful  productions  to  man.  Human  ingenuity  imitates 
nature  in  a  variety  of  arts.  Offal  maters,  of  all  kinds, 
are  daily  converted  into  the  means  of  increafmg  the 
profits  of  induftry,  and  the  pleafures  of  human  life. 
Y 


1 62        AN  ENQUIRY  INTO  TH«  EFFECTS  oy 

The  foul  of  man  alone,  with  all  its  moral  and  intel 
lectual  powers,  when  mifled  by  pafllon,  is  abandoned, 
by  the  ignorance  or  cruelty  of  man,  to  unprofitable 
corruption,  or  extirpation. 

A  worthy  prelate  of  the  church  of  England  once 
faid  upon  feeing  a  criminal  led  to  execution,  «  There 
goes  my  wicked  felf."  Confidering  the  vices  to  which 
the  frailty  of  human  nature  expofes  whole  families  of 
every  rank  and  clafs  in  life,  it  becomes  us,  whenever 
we  fee  a  fellow  creature  led  to  public  infamy  and 
pain,  to  add  further.  "  There  goes  my  unhappy 
father,  my  unhappy  brother,  or  my  unhappy  fon," 
and  afterwards  to  a(k  ourfelves,  wlitther private  punifh- 
ments  are  not  to  be  preferred  to  public: 

For  the  honour  of  humanity  it  can  be  faid,  that  in 
every  age  and  country,  there  have  been  found  perfons 
in  whom  uncorruptcd  nature  has  triumphed  over 
cuftom  and  law.  Elfe,  why  do  we  hear  of  houfes 
being  abandoned  near  to  places  of  public  execution  ? 
Why  do'we  fee  doors  and  windows  (hut  on  the  days 
or  hours  of  criminal  exhibitions  ?  Why  do  we  hear 
of  aid  being  fecretly  afforded  to  criminals,  to  mitigate 
or  elude  the  feverity  of  their  punimments  ?  Why  is 
the  public  executioner  of  the  law  an  object  of  fuch 
general  deteftation  ?  Thefe  things  are  latent  druggies 
of  reafon,  or  rather  the  fecret  voice  of  God  himfelf, 
fpeaking  in  the  human  heart,  againft  the  folly  ami- 
cruelty  of  public  punifhment. 


PUBLIC    PUNISHMENTS.  1 63 

I  {hall  conclude  this  enquiry  by  obferving,  that 
the  fame  falfe  religion  and  philofophy,  which  once 
kindled  the  fire  on  the  alter  of  perfecution,  now  doom 
die  criminal  to  public  ignominy  and  death.  In  pro 
portion  as  the  principles  of  philofophy  and  chriflianity 
are  underftood,  they  will  agree  in  extinguifhing  the 
one,  and  deflroying  the  other.  If  thefe  principles 
continue  to  extend  their  influence  upon  government,  as 
£hey  have  done  for  fome  years  paft,  I  canriqt  help  en 
tertaining,  a  hope,  that  the  time  is  not  very  diflant, 
when  the  gallows,  the  pillory,  the  flocks,  the  whipp- 
jng-poil  and  the  wheel-barrow, '(the  ufual  engines  of 
public  punifhments)  will  be  connected  with  the  hiftory 
of  the  rack  and  the  flake,  as  marks  of  the  barbarity 
of  ages  and  countries,  and  as  melancholy  proofs  of  the 
feeble  operation  of  reafon  and  religion  upon  the 
human  mind. 


AN  ENQUIRY  INTO  THE  CONS  I  STENCY  OF  THEPUKISK* 
MENT  OF    MURDER  BY     DEATH,    WITH    REASON     AND 


REVELATION. 


I-  rTHHE  Punifhment  of  Murder  by   Death,   is 
-•-  contrary  to   reafon,    and   to   the  order  and 
happinefs  of  fociety. 

1.  It  leffens  the  horror  of  taking  away  human  life, 
and  thereby  tends  to  multiply  murders. 

2.  It  produces  murder  by  its  influence   upon  peo 
ple  who  are  tired  of  life,  and  who,  from  a  fuppofition 
that  murder  is  a  lefs  crime  than  fuicide,  deflroy  a  life 
(and  often  that  of  a  near  connection)    and  afterwards 
deliver  themfclves  up    to  the  laws   of  their    country, 
that  they  may  efcape  from  their  mifcry  by  means  of  a 
halter. 

3.  The  punifhment  of  murder  by   death  multiplies 
murders,   from  the  difficulty    it    creates  of  convicting 
perfons    who  are  guilty  of  it.     Humanity,    revolting 
at  the  idea   of  the  feverity   and    certainty  of  a  capital 
punifhment,  often  fleps  in,  and  collects  fuch  evidence 
in  favour  of  a   murderer,  as  fcreens    him  from  death 
altogether,  or    palliates  his  crime  into  manflaughter. 
Even  the  law  itfelf  favours  the  acquital  of  a  murderer 


165          ON    THE    PUNISHMENT    OF    MURDER    &C. 

by  making  the  circumftance  of  premeditation  and 
malice,  ncceflary  to  render  the  offence,  a  capital  crime. 
Mr.  Townfend  tells  us  in  his  travels  into  Spain* 
that  feven'ty  murders  were  perpetrated  in  Malaga  in 
the  1 6  months  which  preceeded  his  vifit  to  that 
city,  all  of  which  efcaped  with  impunity,  and  pro* 
bably  from  the  caufes  which  have  been  mentioned. 
If  the  puniihment  of  murder  confifted  in  long  con 
finement,  and  hard  labour,  it  would  be  proportioned 
to  the  meafure  of  our  feelings  of  juitice,  and  every 
member  of  ibcicty  would  be  a  watchman,  or  a  ma- 
giltrate,  to  apprehend  a  deftroyer  of  human  life,  and 
to  bring  him  to  punimment. 

4.  The  punimment  of  murder  by  death  checks  the 
operations   of   univerfal    juftice,     by   preventing  the 
punifhment  of  every  fpecies  of  murder. 

5.  The  punimment   of  murder  by    death  has  been 
proved  to  be  contrary  to  the  order    and  happinefs  of 
fociety,  by  the    experiments  of   fome   of    the    wifeft 
legiflators  in    Europe.     The  Emprefs   of  Rufia,    the 
King    of  Sweden,  and    the   Duke    of  Tufcany,  have 
nearly  extirpated   murder   from   their   dominions,  by 
converting  its  punifhments  into   the  means    of   bene 
fiting  fociety,  and  reforming    the  criminals    who  per 
petrate  it. 

II.  The  punimment    of  murder  by  death  is  con 
trary  to  divine  revelation.  A  religion  which  command* 

*   Vol.  3. 


l66  ON    THE    PUNISHMENT    OF    MURDER 

us  to  forgive,  and  even  to  do  good  to,  our  enemies, 
can  never  authorife  the  punifhment  of  murder  by 
death.  «  Vengence  is  mine,"  faid  the  Lord  ;  "  I 
will  repay."  It  is  to  no  purpofe  to  fay  here,  that 
this  vengeance  it  taken  out  of  the  hands  of  an  indi 
vidual,  and  directed  againft  the  criminal  by  the  hand 
of  government.  It  is  equally  an  ufurpation  of  the 
prerogative  of  heaven,  whether  it  be  inflicted  by  a 
Ungle  perfon,  or  by  a  whole  community. 

Here  I  expect  to  meet  with  an  appeal  from  the 
letter  and  fpirit  of  the  gofpcl,  to  the  law  of  Mofes, 
which  declares,  "  he  that  killeth  a  man  (hall  be 
put  to  death."  Forgive,  indulgent  heaven  !  the  ig 
norance  and  cruelty  of  man,  which,  by  the  mifap- 
plication  of  this  text  of  fcripture,  has  fo  long  and  fo 
often  flairied  the  religion  of  Jefus  Chrift  with  folly 
and  revenge. 

The  following  confederations,  I  hope,  will  prove 
that  no  argument  can  be  deduced  fcom  this  law,  to 
juftify  the  punifhment  of  murder  by  death  ;  —  on  the 
contrary,  that  feveral  arguments  againil  it,  may  be 
derived  from  a  juft  and  rational  explanation  *of  that 
part  of  the  Levitical  inftitutions. 


i.  There  are  many  things  in  fcripture  above, 
nothing  contrary  to,  reafon.  Now,  the  punifhment 
of  murder  by  death,  is  contrary  to  reafon.  It  cannot, 
therefore,  be  agreeable  to  the  will  of  God. 


BT   DEATH.  167 

2.  The  order  and  happinefs  of  fociety  cannot    fail 
of  being  agreeable  to  the  will  of  God.     But  the  pu- 
nifliment  of  murder  by  death,  deflroys  the  order  and 
happinefs  of  fociety.     It  muft  therefore  be  contrary 
to  the  will  of  God. 

3.  Many  of  the  laws  given  by  Mofes,  were  accon?- 
modated  to  the  ignorance,  wickednefs,  and  «  hardnefs 
"  of  heart,"  of  the  Jews.     Hence  their  divine  legi- 
flator  exprefsly  fays,  "  I  gave  them  ftatutes  that  were 
<(  not  good,  and  judgments  whereby  they  fhould  not 
live."  Of  this,  the  law  which  refpeclrs  divorces,    amJ 
the  law  of  retaliation,  which  required,  "  an   eye  for 
«  an  eye*  and  a  tooth  for  a  tooth,"  are    remarkable 
inftances. 

But  we  are  told,  that  the  punimment  of  murder  by 
death,  is  founded  not  only  on  the  law  of  Mofes,  but 
upon  a  politive  precept  given  to  Noah  and  his  pofte- 
rity,  that  "  whofo  fheddeth  man's  blood,  by  man  (hall 
his  blood  be  {heel?"  If  the  interpretation  of  this 
text  given  in  a  former  effky*1  be  not  admitted,  I  fhall 
attempt  to  explain  it  by  remarking,  that  loon  after  the 
flood,  the  infancy  and  wealcnefs  of  fociety  rendered  it 
impoflible  to  punifh  murder  by  confinement*  There 
was  therefore  no  medium  between  inflicling  death 
upon  a  murderer,  and  fuffering  him  to  efcape  witji 
impunity,,  and  thereby  to  perpetrate  more  acts  of  vio 
lence  againR  his  fellow  creatures.  It  pleafecf  God. 
in  this  condition  of  the  world,  to  permit  a  lefs,  m 

iry  into  the  «ftcft&  of  publ-ic  puniflune^ts.   p.  159, 


l63  ON  THE     PUNISHMENT4     OF    MURDSR 

order  to  prevent  a  greater  evil.  Ke  therefore  commits 
for  a  while  his  exclufive  power  over  human  life,  to 
his  creatures  for  the  fafety  and  prefervation  of  an 
infant  fociety,  which  might  otherwife  have  perrfhed, 
and  with  it,  the  only  flock  of  the  human  race.  The 
command  indirectly  implies  that  the  crime  of  murder 
\vas  not  punifhed  by  death  in  the  mature  ftate  of  fo 
ciety  which  ex.ifted  before  the  flood.  Nor  is  this  the 
J 

only  inflance  upon  record  in  the  fcriptures  in  which 
God  has  delegated  his  power  over  human  life  to  his 
creatures.  Abraham  exprefles  no  furprife  at  the  com 
mand  which  God  gave  him  to  facrifice  his  fon.  He 
fubmits  to  it  ns  a  precept  founded  in  reafon  and  natural 
juftice,  for  nothing  could  be  more  obvious,  than  that 
the  giver  of  life  had  a  right  to  claim  it,  when  and  in 
fuch  manner  as  he  pleafed.  'Till  men  are  able  to 
give. life,  it  becomes  them  to  tremble  at  the  thought  of 
raking  it  away.  Will  a  man  rob  God  ? — Yes — he 
robs  him  of  what  is  infinitely  dear  to  him — of  his 
darling  i.ttribute-  of  mercy,  every  time  he  deprives  a 
fellow  creature  of  life. 

4.    If  the  Mofaic   Jaw,  with  refpect  to  murder,  Se 
obligatory    upon  Chriftians,  it  follows  that  it  is  equally 
obligatory  upon  them   to  piiniih  adultery,  blafphemy 
and  other    capital   crimes  that   are    mentioned   in  the 
Levitical  law,  by    death.     Nor  is   this  all :  it  juftifies 
the  extirpation   of  the    Indians,  and  the   enflaving  of 
tic    Africans  -,  'for    the    command    to    the  Jews    to 


DEATH. 


deftroy  the  Cartaanites,  and  to  make  Ilaves  of  their 
heathen  neighbours,  is  as  pofitive  as  the  command 
which  declares,  t(  that  he  that  kilteth  a  man,  mall  furely 

he  put  to  death." 
-» 

5.  Zvery  part  of  the  Levitical  law,  is  full  of  types 

of  the  Median.  May  not  the  puniihment  of  death, 
inflicted  by  it,  be  intended  to  reprefent  the  demerit 
and  confeqyences  of  (in,  as  the  cities  of  refuge  were 
the  offices  of  the  Mcfiiah  ?  And  may  not  the  enlarge 
ment  of  murderers  who  had  fled  to  thofe  cities  of  refuge, 
upon  the  death  of  a  high  prieft,  reprefent  the  eternal 
abrogation  of  the  law  which  inflicted  death  for  murder, 
by  the  meritorious  death  of  the  Saviour  of  the  w©rld  ? 

6.  The   imperfection    and    feverity    of  thefe    laws 
were  probably  intended  farther  —  to    illuftrate  the  per 
fection  and  mildnefs  of  the  gofpel  difpenfation.     It  is 
in  this  manner   that  God    has    manifefted    himfelf    in 
many  of  his  acts.     He  created  darknefs  firft,  to  illuf 
trate  by  comparifon  the  beauty  of  light,   and  he   per 
mits  fin,  mifc'ry,  and  death    in  the  moral  world,  that 
he  may  hereafter  difplay  more  illuftrioufly  the  bleflings 
of  nghteoufnefs,  happinefs,  and  immortal  life.     This 
opinion  is  favoured   by    St.    Paul,  who    fays,   «  the 
"    law   made    nothing    perfect,    and   that    it  was  a 
"  ih  idow  of  good  things  to  come." 

How  delightful  to  difcover  fuch  an  exact  harmony 
between   the  dictates   of  reafon,  the  order   and  hap- 

Z 


170  ON  THE  PUNISHMENT  OF  MURDER 

pii\efs  of  fociety,  and  the  precepts  of  the  gofpel  ? 
There  is  a  perfect  unity  in  truth.  Upon  all  fubjecls 
—  in  all  ages — and  in  all  countries — truths  of  every 
kind  agree  with  each  other.  I  (hall  now  take  notice 
of  forne  of  the  common  arguments,  which  are  made 
ufe  of,  to  defend  the  punimments  of  murder  by  death. 

i.  It  has  been  faid,  that  the  common  fenfe  of  all 
nations,  and  particularly  of  favages,  is  in  favour  of 
punifhing  murder  by  death. 

The  common  fenfe  of  all  natipns  is  in  favour  of 
the  commerce  and  flavery  of  their  fellow  creatures. 
Cut  this  docs  net  take  away  from  their  immorality. 
Could  it  be  proved  that  the  Indians  punim  murder 
by  death,  it  would  not  eflabliili  the  right  of  man  over 
the  life  of  a  fellow  creature  ;  for  revenge  we  know 
in  its  utmoft  extent  is  the  univerfal  and  darling  paflion 
of  all  favage  nations.  The  practice  morever,  ^  (if  it 
exift )  muft  have  originated  in  neceffity :  for  a  people 
who  have  no  fettled  place  of  refidence,  and  who  are 
averfe  from  all  labour,  could  reftrain  murder  in  no 
other  way.  But  I  am  difpofed  to  doubt  whether  the 
Indians  punim  murder  by  death  among  their  own 
tribes.  In  all  thofe  cafes  where  a  life  is  taken  away 
by  an  Indian  of  a  foreign  tribe,  they  always  demand 
the  fatisfaclion  of  life  for  life.  But  this  practice  is 
founded  on  a  defire  of  preferving  a  balance  in  their 
numbers  and  power  j  for  among  nations  which  confifh 
of  only  a  few  warriors,  the  lofs  of  an  individual 


BY    DEATH. 


often  deftroys  this  balance,  arid  thereby  expofes  them 
to  war  or  extermination.  It  is  for  the  fame  purpofe 
of  keeping  up  an  equality  in  numbers  and  power, 
that  they  often  adopt  captive  children  into  their  nations 
and  families.  What  makes  this  explanation  of  the 
practice  of  punifhing  murder  by  death  among  the 
Indians  more  probable,  is,  that  we  find  the  fame 
bloody  and  vindictive  fatisfaction  is  required  of  a 
foreign  nation,  whether  the  perfon  loft,  be  killed  by 
an  accident,  or  premeditated  violence.  Many  fails 
might  be  mentioned  from  travelers  to  prove  that  the 
Indians  do  not  punifh  murder  by  death  within  the 
jurifdi£tion  of  their  own  tribes.  I  mall  mention  only 
one,  which  is  taken  from  the  Rev.  Mr.  John  Mega- 
polenfis's  account  of  the  Mohawk  Indians,  lately  pub- 
limed  in  Mr  Hazard's  hiftorical  collection  of  ftate  pa 
pers.  —  "  There  is  no  punifhment,  (fays  our  author) 
"  here  for  murder,  but  every  one  is  his  own  avenger. 
«  The  friends  of  the  deceafed  revenge  themfelves 
"  upon  the  murderer  until  peace  is  made  with  the 
«  next  a  kin.  But  although  they  are  fo  cruel,  yet 
«  there  are  not  half  fo  many  murders  committed 
ft  among  them  as  among  Chriftians,  notwithftanding 
<«  their  fevere  laws,  and  heavy  penalties." 

2.  It  has  been  faid,  that  the  horrors  of  a  guilty 
sonfciesce  proclaim  the  juftice  and  neceflity  of  death, 
as  a  punifhment  for  murder.  I  draw  an  argument  of 
another  nature  from  this  fa£h  Are  the  horrors  of 
confcience  the  punifhment  that  God  infli&s  upon 


J72  ON   THE    PUNISHMENT   OF   MURDER 

murder?  Why,  then  mould  we  fhorten  or  deflroy 
them  by  death,  efpeci.iJly  as  we  are  taught  to  diri£t 
the  :noft  atrocious  murderers  to  expe£t  pardon  in  the 
future  world  ?  No,  let  us  not  counter^  the  govern 
ment  of  God  in  the  hum  in  breaft  :  let  the  murderer 
live — but  let  it  be  to  fuffer  the  reproaches  of  a  guilty 
confcience  j  let  him  live,  to  make  compenfation  to 
fociety  for  the  injury  he  has  done  it,  by  robbing  it  of 
a  citizen  ;  let  him  live  to  maintain  the  family  of  the 
man  whom  he  has  murdered  ;  let  him  live,  that  the 
puniihment  of  his  crime  may  become  univerfal ;  and, 
laftly,  let  him  live,  that  murder  may  be  extirpated 
from  the  lift  of  human  crimes  ! 

Let  us  exarrine  the  conduct  of  the  moral  Ruler  of 
the  world  towards  the  firfl  murderer. — See  Cain, 
returning  from  his  field,  with  his  hands  reeking  with 
the  blood  of  his  brother  !  Do  the  Leavens  gather 
blacki.'efs,  and  dees  a  flafh  of  lightning  bluft  him  to 
the  earth  ?  No.  To"s  his  father  Adam,  the  natural 
itor  and  judge  of  the  world,  inflict  upon  him 
the  ;  '"  .--^r.-t  of  death?  No.  The  infinitely  wife 
God  beco,  '  :>  judge  and  executioner.  He  expels 
him  from  the  foe.  ^  which  he  was  a  member.  He 
fixc's  in  his  conference  a  never  dying  worm.  He  fub- 
je£l5  him  to  the  nceefilty  of  labour  j  and  to  fecure  a 
duration  of  his  punifhment,  prc 'portioned  to  his  crime, 
he  puts  a  mark  of  prohibition  upon  him,  to  prevent 
his  being  put  to  dtath,  by  weak  and  angry  men  ; 
declaring,  at  the  fame  time,  that  '«  whofoever.  Ifoyeth 


BY    DEATH.  173 

«  Cain,    vengeance    (hall  be   taken  on  him    feven- 
«  fold. 

But  further,  if  a  neceflary  connexion  exifted  be 
tween  the  crime  of  murder  and  death  in  the  mind 
and  laws  of  the  Deity,  how  comes  it  that  Mofes  and 
David  efcaped  it  ?  They  both  imbrued  their  hands  in 
innocent  blood,  and  yet  the  horrors  of  a  guilty  con- 
fcience  were  their  only  punifhment.  The  fubfequent 
conduct  of  thofe  two  great  and  good  men,  proves  that 
the  heart  may  retain  a  found  part  after  committing 
murder,  and  that  even  murderers,  after  repentance, 
may  be  the  vehicles  of  great  temporal  and  fpiritual 
bleffings  to  mankind. 

3.  The  declaration  of  St.  Paul  before  Feftus,  refpe£r,- 
ing  the  punimment  of  death,*  and  the  fpeech  of  the 
dying  thief  on  the  crofs,f  are  faid  to  prove  the  lawful- 
nefs  of  purnming  murder  by  death :  but  they  prove 
only  that  the  punimment  of  death  was  agreeable  to  the 
Roman  law.  Human  life  was  extremely  cheap  under 
the  Roman  government.  Of  this  we  need  no  further 
proof  than  the  head  of  John  the  Baptift  forming  a  part 
of  a  royal  entertainment.  From  the  frequency  of  pub 
lic  executions,  among  thofe  people,  the  fword  was 
confidered  as  an  emblem  of  public  juftice.  But  to 

*  "  For  if  I  be  an  offender,  and  have  committed  any  thing  worthy  of 
«  death,  I  refufe  not  to  die." Afts  xxv.and  n. 

f  <•'  We  indeed"  f  after  "  jw/f/y,  for  we  receive  the  due  reward  of  our 
"deeds."— —  Luke  xxiii.  and  41. 


174  ON    THE    PUNISHMENT    OF    MURDER 

fuppofe,  from  the  appeals  which  are  Lmetiincs  made 
to  it  as  a  fign  of  juftice,  that  capital  punifhments  are 
approved  of  in  the  New  Teftamcnt,  is  as  abfurd  as 
it  would  be  to  fuppofe  that  horfe-racing  war.  a  chriftiun 
exercife,  from  St.  Paul's  frequent  allufions  to  the 
Olympic  games. 

The  declaration  of  the  barbarians  upon  feeing  the 
fnake  fatten  upon  St.  Paul's  hand,  proves  nothing  but 
the  ignorance  of  thofe  uncivilized  people  •, — "  and 
"  when  the  barbarians  faw  the  venomous  beaft  hang  on 
"  his  hand,  they  faid  among  themfclves,  no  doubt  this 
"  man  is  a  murderer,  whom,  though  he  hath  efcaped 
"  the  fea,  yet  vengeance  fuffereth  not  to  live." — Ads 
xvii.  and  4th. 

Here  it  will  be  proper  to  tliflinguifh  between  the 
fenfe  of  juftice  fo  univcrfal  among  all  nations,  and  an 
approbation  of  death  as  a  punifhxncnt  for  murder. 
The  former  is  written  by  the  finger  of  God  upon 
•every  human  heart,  but  like  his  own  attribute  of 
juftice,  it  has  the  happinefs  of  individuals  and  of 
fociety  for  its  objects.  It  is  always  irnfied,  when  it 
fecks  for  fatisfaelion  in  puriifhments  that  are  injurious 
to  fociety,  or  that  are  diiproporticned  to  crimes.  The 
~,aion  of  this  imiverfiil  fenfe  of  juftice  by  the 
punifhmirnts  of  irnprifonment  and  labour,  would  far 
exceed  that  which  is  derived  from  the  puniihment  of 
death;  for  it  would  be  of  longer  duration,  and  it 
would,  more  frequently  occur ;  for,  upon  a  principle 


BY    DEATH.  175 

formerly    mentioned,   fcarcely   any  fpeciec  of  murder 
would  efcape  with  impunity-! 

]  The  conduct  and  Jifcourfes  of  our  Saviour  fhouKl 
outweigh  every  argument  that  has  been  or  can  be 
offered  in  favour  of  capital  punimmerit  for  any  crime 
When  the  woman  caught  in  adultery  was  brought  to 
him,  he  evaded  inflicting  the  bloody  fentence  of  the 
Jewifh  law  upon  her  Even  the  maiming  of  the  body 
appears  to  be  ofrenfive  in  his  fight  ;  for  when  Peter 
drew  his  fword,  and  fmote  off  the  ear  of  the  fervant 
of  the  high  prieft,  he  replaced  it  by  miracle,  and  at 
the  fame  time  declared,  that  tf  all  they  who  take  the 
*•  fword,  fhall  perifti  with  the  fword."  He  forgave 
the  crime  of  murder,  on  his  crofs  ;  and  after  his  re* 
furre£Hon,  he  commanded  his  difciples  to  preach  the 
gofpel  of  forgivenefs,  firft  at  Jerufalem,  where  he 
well,  knew  his  murderers  ftill  refided.  Thefe  (Inking 
facts  are  recorded  for  our  imitation,  and  feem  intended 
to  fhew  that  the  Son  of  God  died,  not  only  to  re 
concile  God  to  man,  but  to  reconcile  men  to  each 
other.  There  is  one  paflage  more,  in  the  hiftory  of 
our  Saviour's  life  which  would  of  itfdi  overfet  the 

J  A  fcale  of  punishments,  by  means  of  imprlfonment:  nnd  labour,  • 
eafily  be  contrived,  fc  as  to  be  accomodated  to  the  different  dejrees  of" 
atrocity  in  murder.  For  example — fjr  tha  fir  ft  or  higheil  decree  of  guilt, 
let  the  puni/hment  be  folitude  and  darknefs,  and  a  to':al  ivant  of  employ 
ment.  For  the  fecond,  iblitude  and  labour,  with  the  benefit  of  light, 
For  the  third,  confinement  and  labour.  The  d:ira:'.or.  of  thefe  punifhmerita 
{houldlike.vife  be  governed  by  the  atrocity  of  the  murder,  and  by  thr 
contrition  and  amcndme.i:  ia  the  < 


17  ON    THE    PUNISHMENT    OF    MURDER 

juftice  of  the  punifhment  of  death  for  murder,  if 
every  other  part  of  the  Bible  had  been  filtmt  upon  the 
fubjecl.  When  two  of  his  difciples,  actuated  by  the 
fpirit  of  vindictive  legiflators,  requeiled  permiflion 
of  him  to  call  down  fire  from  Heaven  to  confume  the 
inhofpitable  Samaritans,  he  anfwered  them  "  The 
"  Son  of  Man  is  not  come  to  deftroy  men's  lives  but 
"  to  fave  them."  I  wifli  thefe  words  compofed  the 
motto  of  the  arms  of  every  nation  upon  the  face  of 
the  earth.  They  inculcate  every  duty  that  is  calcula 
ted  to  preferve,  reflore,  or  prolong  human  life. 
They  militate  alike  againft  war — and  capital  punifh- 
ments — the  objects  of  which,  are  the  unprofitable  de- 
ftruclion  of  the  lives  of  men.  How  precious  does  a 
human  life  appear  from  thefe  words,  in  the  fight  of 
heaven  !  Paufe,  Legiflators,  when  you  give  your 
votes  for  infli&ing  the  punifhment  of  death  for  any 
crime  You  fruftrate  in  one  inftance,  the  defign  of 
the  miflion  of  the  Son  of  God  into  the  world,  and 
thereby  either  deny  his  appearance  in  the  flefh,  or 
reject  the  truth  of  his  gofpel.  You,  moreover, 
ftrengthen  by  your  conduct  the  arguments  of  the 
Deifts  againft  the  particular  doctrines  of  the  Chrifti- 
an  revelation.  You  do  more,  you  preferve  a  bloody 
fragment  of  the  Jewiih  inftitutions. — "  The  Son  of 
«  Man  came  not  to  deflroy  men's  lives,  but  to  fave 
"  them"  Excellent  words!  I  require  no  others  to 
fatisfy  me  of  the  truth  and  divine  original  of  the  Chrif- 
tian  religion  j  and  while  I  am  able  to  place  a  finger, 
upon  this  text  of  fcripture,  I  will  not  believe  an  angel 


< 
BY    DEATH.  177 

From  heaven,  fhould  he  declare  that  th$  punifhment 
of  death,  for  any  crime,  was  inculcated,  or  permitted 
by  the  fpirit  of  the  gofpel. 

*\ 

The   precious  nature  of  human  life  in  the  eyes   of 

the  Saviour  of  mankind,  appears  further  in  the  compa 
rative  value  which  he  has  placed  upon  it  in  the  fol 
lowing  words.*  **  For  what  is  a  man  profited,  if  he 
fhall  gain  the  whole  world/  &  lofe  his  life,  or  what 
fhaJl  a  man  give  in  exchange  for  his  life"  I  havere- 
jefted  the  word  yc^rfwhich  is  ufed  in  the  common 
tranflati.on  of  this, -xverfe.  The  original' word  in  the 
Greek,  fignifies  life,  and  it  is  thus  happily  and  juftly 
tranflated  in  the  verfe  which  precedes  it. 

4.  It  has  been  faid,  that  a  man  who  has  committed 
a  murder,  has  difcovered  a  malignity  of  heart,  that 
renders  him  ever  afterwards  unfit  to  live  in  human 
fociety.  This  is  by  no  means  true  in  many,  and 
perhaps  in  moft  of  the -cafes  of  murder.  It  is  moft 
frequently  the  erTecl:  of  a  fudden  gufl  of  paffion,  and 
has  fometimes  been  the  only  ftain  of  a  well-fpent,  or 
inoffenfive  life.  There  are  many  crimes  which  unfit 
a  man  much  more  for  human  fociety,  than  a  finglc 
murder  ;  and  there  have  been  inftances  of  murderers, 
who  have  efcaped,  or  bribed  the  laws  of  their  coun 
try,  who  have  afterwards  become  peaceable  and  ufeful 
members  of  fociety.  Let  it  not  be  fuppofed  that  I 

*  Matthew,  x.  v,  26. 

A  a 


I7#  ON  THE    PUNISHMENT    OF    MURDER 

wifh  to  palliate,  by  this  remark,  the  enormity  of 
murder.  Far  from  it.  It  is  only  bccaufe  I  view 
murder  with  fuch  fuperlative  horror,  that  I  wifh  t° 
deprive  our  laws  of  the  power  of  perpetuating  and 
encouraging  it. 

It  has  been  faid,  that  the  confeffions  of  murderers 
have,  in  many  inftances,  fanctioned  the  juftice  of  their 
punifhment.  I  do  not  wifh  to  leffen  the  influence 
of  fuch  vulgar  errors  as  tend  to  prevent  crimes,  but 
I  will  venture  to  declare,  that  many  more  murderers 
efcape  difcovery,  than  are  detected,  or  puniflied. — 
Were  I  not  afraid  of  trefpafling  upon  the  patience  of 
my  readers,  I  might  mention  a  number  of  facts,  in 
which  circumftanccs  of  the  mod  trifling  nature  have 
become  the  means  of  detecting  theft  and  forgery j 
ftom  which  I  could  draw  as  ftrong  proofs  of  the 
watchfulnefs  of  Providence  over  the  property  of 
individuals,  and  the  order  of  fociety,  as  have  been 
drawn  from  the  detection  of  murder.  I  might  mention 
inltances,  likewife,  of  perfons  in  whom  confcience 
has  produced  reftitution  for  ftolen  goods,  or  confefTion 
of  the  juftice  of  the  punimment  which  was  inflicted 
for  theft.  Confcience  and  knowledge  always  keep 
pace  with  each  other,  both  with  refpect  to  divine 
and  human  laws. 

The  acquiefcence  of  murderers  in  the  juftice  of 
their  execution,  is  the  effect  of  prejudice  and  educa 
tion.  It  cannot  flow  from  a  confcience  acting  in 


BY    DEATH.  179 

concert  with  reafon  or  religion — for  they  both  fpeak 
a  very  different  language. 

The    world    has    certainly  undergone    a    material 
change  for  the   better  within  the  laft    two    hundred 
years.     This    change  has  been  produced  chiefly,  by 
the  fecret  and  unacknowledged  influence  of  Chriftianity 
upon  the  hearts  of  men.     It  is  agreeable  to  trace  the 
effects  of  the  Chriftian  religion  in   the  extirpation  of 
flavery — in  the  diminution  of  the   number  of  capital 
punifhments,  and  in  the  mitigation  of  the  horrors  of 
war.     There  was  a  time  when  matters   poflefled    a 
power  over  the  lives  of  their  flaves.     But  Chriftianity 
has  depofed  this    power,  and  mankind  begin  to   fee 
every  where  that  flavery  is  alike  contrary  to  the  interefts 
of  fociety,  and  the  fpirit  of  the  gofpel.     There  was  a 
time  when  torture  was  part  of  the  punifhment  of  death, 
and    when  the   number  of   capital  crimes  in    Great 
Britain,  amounted  to   one   hundred   and  fixty-one. — 
Chriftianity  has  aboliflied    the  former,    and  reduced 
the  latter  to  not  more  than  fix  or  feven.     It  has  done 
more.     It  has  confined,    in  fome    inftances,    capital 
punifhments  to  the  crime  of  murder — and  in    fome 
countries  it  has  abolifhed  it  altogether.     The  influence 
of  Chriftianity  upon  the  modes  of  war,    has  ftill  been 
more  remarkable.     It  is  agreeable  to  trace  its  progrefs. 

I  ft.  In  refcuing  women  and  children  from  being 
the  objects  of  the  defolations  of  war,  in  common 
with  men. 


180  ON    THE  PUNISHMENT  OF  MURDER 

sdly.In  preventing  the  deftrudion  of  captives  taken 
in  battle,  in  cold  blood. 

3dly.  In  protecting  the  peaceable  hufbandman  from 
fharing  in  the  carriage  of  war. 

4thly.      In    producing    an    exchange  of   prifoners, 
inftead  of  dooming  them  to  perpetual  flavery. 

5thly.     In  avoiding  the  invafion  or  deftru£tion,    in 
certain  cafes,  of  private  property. 

6thly.  In  declaring  all  wars  to  be  unlawful  but 
{uch  as  are  purely  defenfive. 

This  is  the  only  tenure  by  which  war  now  holds 
its  place  among  Chriflians.  It  requires  but  litle  in 
genuity  to  prove  that  a  defenfive  war  cannot  be  car 
ried  on  fuccefsfully  without  offenfive  operations. 
Already  the  princes  and  nations  of  the  world  difcover 
the  druggies  of  opinion  or  confcience  in  their  pre 
parations  for  war.  Witnefs  the  many  national  dif- 
putes  which  have  been  lately  terminated  in  Europe 
by  negociation,  or  mediation.  Witnefs  too,  the 
eftablimment  of  the  conftitution  of  the  United  States 
without  force  or  bloodfhed.  Thefe  events  indicate 
an  improving  ftate  of  human  affairs.  They'  lead  us 
to  look  forward  with  expectation  to  the  time,  when 
the  weapons  of  war  {hail  be  changed  into  implements 
of  hufbandry,  and  when  rapine  and  violence  (hall  be 
no  more.  Thefe  events  are  the  promifed  fruits  of 
the  gofpel.  If  they  do  not  come  to  pals,  the  prophets 


BY    DEATH.  l8l 

have  deceived  us.  But  if  they  do— war  muft  be  as 
contrary  to  the  fpirit  of  the  gofpel,  as  fraud,  or  mur 
der,  or  any  other  of  the  vices  which  are  reproved  or 
extirpated  by  it. 

P.  S.  Since  the  publication  of  this  eflay  and  the 
preceeding  one,  the  Author  has  had  the  pleafure  ot 
feeing  his  principles  reduced  to  practice  in  the 
State  of  Pennfylvania,  in  the  abolition  of  the  punifti- 
ment  of  death  for  all  crimes,  (the  higheft  degree  of 
minder  excepted)  and  in  private  punifhments  being 
fubftituted  to  thofe  which  were  public.  The  effe&s 
of  this  reformation  in  the  penal  laws  of  our  ftare  have 
been,  a  remarkable  diminution  of  crimes  of  all  kinds, 
and  a  great  encreafe  of  convictions  in  a  given  num 
ber  of  offenders.  The  expenfes  of  the  houfe  appro 
priated  to  the  punimment  of  criminals  have  been  more 
than  defrayed  by  the  profits  of  their  labor.  Many 
of  them  have  been  reformed,  and  become  ufeful 
members  of  fociety,  and  very  few  have  relapfed  into 
former  habits  of  vice. 

The  Author  is  happy  in  adding,  that  a  reformation 
in  the  penal  laws  of  the  ftates  of  New  York  and 
New  Jcrfey  has  taken  place,  nearly  fimilar  to  that 
which  has  been  mentioned,  in  Pennfylvania. 

It  would   be  an  aft    of  injuftice  in   this    place  not 
to  acknowledge  that  the  principles    contained  in    the' 
foregoing  eflays,  would  probably  have  never  been  realiz 
ed,  had  they  not  been  fupported  and  enforced  by  the  elo- 


182          ON  THE     PUNISHMENT     OF    MURDER,    &c. 

quence  cf  the  kte  William  Bradford  Efq.  and  the 
zeal  of  Caleb  Lownes.  To  both  thefe  gentlemen, 
humanity  and  reafon  owe  great  obligations.  Mr. 
Lownes  has  demonftrated  by  fads,  the  fuccefs  O£ 
fchemes  of  philamhrophy,  once  deemed  vifionary  and 
impracticable.  His  plans  for  employing,  and  reform 
ing  his  unfortunate  fellow  creatures  in  the  Philadelphia 
prifon,  difcover  great  knowledge  of  the  ceconomy  of 
the  body,  and  of  the  principles  of  a&ion  in  the 
mind.  To  comprehend  fully  the  ingenuity  and  bene 
volence  of  thefe  plans,  it  will  be  necelTary  to  vifit  the 
prifon.  There  fcience  and  religion  exhibit  a  triumph 
over  vice  and  mifery,  infinitely  more  fublime  and 
affecling,  than  all  the  monuments  of  ancient  conquefls. 
It  is  thus  the  father  of  the  human  race  has  decreed 
the  ultimate  extermination  of  all  evil,  viz.  by  mani- 
feftations  of  love  to  his  fallen  creatures.  For  the 
details  of  the  difcipline,  order,  produces  of  labor,  &c. 
of  this  prifon,  the  reader  is  referred  to  two  elegant 
pamphlets,  the  one  by  Mr.  De  Liancourt,  of  France, 
the  other  by  Mr.  Turnbuil  of  South  Carolina* 
July,  4  1797. 


A  PLAN  OF  A  PEACE-OFFICE  FOR  THE  UNITED 
STATES. 


AMONG  the  defe&s  which  have  been  point 
ed  out  in  the  federal  conftitution  by  its 
afttifederal  enemies,  it  is  much  to  be  lamented  that  no 
perfon  has  taken  notice  of  its  total  filence  upon  the 
fubje£fc  of  an  office  of  the  utmofl  importance  to  the 
welfare  of  the  United  States,  that  is,  an  office  for  pro 
moting  and  preferving  perpetual  peace  in  our  country. 

It  is  to  be  hoped  that  no  objection  will  be  made 
to  the  eftablifliment  of  fuch  an  office,  while  we  arc 
engaged  in  a  war  with  the  Indians,  for  as  the  War- 
Office  of  the  United  States  was  eftablifhed  in  the  time 
sf peace,  it  is  equally  reafonable  that  a  Peace-Office  mould 
be  eftablifhed  in  the  time  of  war. 

f\ 

The  plan  of  this  office  is  as  follows  : 

I.  Let  a  Secretary  of  the  Peace  be  appointed  to 
prefide  in  this  office,  who  mall  be  perfedly  free  from 
all  the  prefent  abfurd  and  vulgar  European  preju 
dices  upon  the  fubje£t  of  government  j  let  him  be  a 
genuine  republican  and  a  fmcere  Chriftian,  for  the  prin 
ciples  of  republicanifm  and  Chriflianity  are  no  lefs 
friendly  to  univerfal  and  perpetual  peace,  than  they 
are  to  univerfal  and  equal  liberty. 


184       A  PLAN  OF  A  PEACE  OFFICE 

II.  Let  a  power  be  given  to  this  Secretary  to  efta* 
blifh  and  maintain  free-fchools  in  every  city,  village 
and  townfhip  of  the  United  States  ;  and  let  him  be 
made  refponfible  for  the  talents,  principles, and  morals* 
of  all  his  fchoolm afters.  Let  the  youth  of  our  country 
be  carefully  inftrucled  in  reading,  writing,  arithmetic, 
and  in  the  doctrines  of  a  religion  of  fome  kind  :  the 
Chriftian  religion  fhould  be  preferred  to  alk'others  ; 
for  it  belongs  to  this  religion  exclufively  to  teach  us 
not  only  to  cultivate  peace  with  men,  but  to  forgive, 
nay  more — to  love  our  very  enemies.  It  belongs  to  it 
further  to  tedch  us  that  the  Supreme  Being  alone  pof- 
fefles  a  power  to  take  away  human  life,  and  that  we 
rebel  againft  his  laws,  whenever  we  undertake  to 
execute  death  in  any  way  whatever  upon  any  of  his 
creatures. 

III.  Let  every  family  in  the  United  States  be  fur- 
nLned  at  the  public  expenfe,  by  the  Secretary  of  this 
office,  with  a  copy  of  an  American  edition  of  the 
BIBLE.  This  meafure  has  become  the  more  neceffary 
in  our  country,  fmce  the  banifhment  of  the  bible,  as  a 
i'chool-book,  from  moft  of  the  fchools  in  the  United 
States.  Unlcfs  the  price  of  this  book  be  paid  for  by 
the  public,  there  is  reafon  to  fear  that  in  a  few  years 
it  will  be  met  with  only  in  courts  of  juflice  or  in 
magistrates'  offices ;  and  fhould  the  abfurd  mode  of 
eftabliihing  truth  by  killing  this  facred  book  fall  into 
t'lifufe,  it  may  probably,  in  the  courfe  of  the  next 


FOR    THE    UNITED    STATES. 

generation,    be    feen  only  as    a    curiofity  on  a  fhelf 
in  a  public  mufeum. 

IV.  Let  the  following  fentencc  be  inscribed  in  letters 
of  gold  over  the  doors  of  every  State  and  Court  houfe 
in  the  United  States. 

THE    SON    OF    MAN    CAME  INTO    THE    WORLD,    NOT    TO 
DESTROY    MEN'S    LIVES,     BUT    TO    SAVE    THEM, 

V.  To  infpire  a  veneration  for  human   life,  and  an 
horror  at  the  fhedding  of  human   blood,  let  all  thofe 
laws  be  repealed  which  authorife  juries,  judges,  meriifs, 
or  hangmen  to  arTume  the  refentrnents  of  individuals 
and  to   commit  murder  in  cold  blood  in    any    cafe 
whatever.     Until  t':i  j  reformation  in  our  code  of  penal 
jurifprudence  takes  place,  it  will  be  in  vain  to  attempt  to 
introduce  univerftland  perpetual  peace  in  our  country. 

VI.  To  fubdue  that  paffion  for  war,  which  educa 
tion,  added  to  human  depravity,  have  made  univerfal,  a 
familiarity    with    the  instruments    of  death,  as  well 
as  all    military  {hows,    mould  be    carefully    avoided. 
For  which  reafon,    militia  laws  fhould  every    where 
be    repealed,  and   military    drefles  and   military  titles 
fhould    be    laid  afide :  reviews    tend    to    leflen     the 
horrors    of  a    battle  by    connecting  them   with     the 
charms    of    order ;    militia    laws     generate    idlenefs 
and  vice,    and    thereby  produce  the    wars    they    are 
faid  to  prevent  •,  military  drefles  fafcinate  the    minds 

B  b 


186  A    TLAN    01'    A    PLACE    OFFICE 

of  young  men,  and  lead  them  from  ferious  and  ufeful 
profefTions  ;  were  there  no  uniforms,  there  would  pro 
bably  be  no  armies  •,  laftly,  military  titles  feed  vanity, 
and  keep  up  ideas  in  the  mind  which  lefien  a  fenfe  of 
the  folly  and  miferies  of  war. 

VII.  In  the  lad  place,  let  a  large  room,  adjoining 
the  federal  hall,  be  appropriated  for  tranfafting  the 
bufmefs  and  preferving  all  the  records  of  this  office. 
Over  the  door  of  this  room  let  there  be  a  fign,  on 
which  the  figures  of  a  LAMB,  a  DOVE  and  an  OLIVE 
BRANCH  mould  be  painted,  together  with  the  follow 
ing  infcriptions  in  letters  of  gold  : 

PEACE    ON    EARTH— GOOD-WILL    TO    MAN. 

AH!    WHY    WILL    MEN    FORGET    THAT    THEY    ARr 

BRETHREN  ? 

Within  this  apartment  let  there  be  a  colledtion 
of  ploughfhares  and  pruriing-hooks  made  out  of 
fwcrds  and  fpears  5  and  on  each  of  the  walls  of  the 
apartment,  the  following  pictures  as  large  as  the 
life: 

1.  A  lion  eating  draw  with  an  ox,  and  an  adder 
playing  upon  the  lips  of  a  child. 

2.  An  Indian  boiling  his  venifon  in  the  fame  pot 
with  a  citizen  of  Kentucky. 

3.  Lord  Cornwallis  and  Tippoo  Saib,  under  the 
fhadc  of  a  fycamore-trce  in  the  Eaft  Indies,  drinking 
Madeira  wine  together  out  of  the  fame  decanter. 


FOR    THE    UNITED    STATES  187 

4.  A  group  of  French  and  Auftrian  foldiers  danc 
ing  arm  and  arm^  under  a  bower  erected  in  the    neigh 
bourhood  of  Moris. 

5.  A  St.  Domingo  planter,  a  man  of  color,  and  a 
native  of  Africa,  legiflating  together  in  the  fame  colonial 
affembly.f 

To  complete  the  entertainment  of  this  delightful 
apartment,  let  a  group  of  young  ladies;  clad  in  white 
robes,  affemble  every  day  at  a  certain  hour,  in  a  gallery 
to  bs  ere£ted  for  the  purpofe,  and  fing  odes,  and 
hymns,  and  anthems  in  praife  of  the  bleflings  of  peace. 

One  of  thefe  fongs  mould  confift  of  the  following 
lines. 

Peace  o'er  the  world  her  olive  wanj  extends^ 
And  whke-rob'd  innocence  fVorn  heaven  defccncls  : 
Ail  crimes  fiiali  ceafe,  and    ancient  frauds  /hall  fail, 
Returning  juftice  lifts  aloft  her  fcaie. 

In  order  more  deeply  to  affect  the  minds  of  the  citL 
zens  of  the  United  States  with  the  bleffings  of  peace,  by 
conirafdng  them  with  the  evils  of  war,  let  the  follow 
ing  infcriptions  be  painted  upon  the  fign,  which  is 
placed  over  the  door  of  the  War  Office. 

I.  An  office  for  butchering  the  human    fpecies. 

•r 
2 .    A  Widow  and  Orphan  making  office. 

-j-  At  the  time  of  writing  this,  there  exifled  wars  between  the  United 
States  and  the  American  Indians,  between  the  British  nation  and  Tippoo 
laib,  between  the  planters  of  St  Domingo  and  tiieir  African  Haves,  an^ 
between  the  French  nation  and  the  emperor  of  Germany. 


188  A    PLAN    OF    A  PEACE    OFFICE,     &C. 

3.  A  broken  bone  making  office. 

4.  A  Wooden  leg  making  office. 

5.  An  office  for  creating  public  and  private  vices. 

6.  An  office  for  creating  a  public  debt. 

7.  An  office  for  creating  fpeculators,  flock  Jobbers, 
and  Bankrupts. 

8.  An  office  for  creating  famine. 

9  An  office  for  creating  peflilential  difeafes. 

10.  An  office  for  creating  poverty,  and  the  deflruc- 
tion  of  liberty,  and  national  happinefs. 

In  the  lobby  of  this  office  let  there  be  painted  re- 
prefentations  of  all  the  common  military  inftruments 
of  death,  alfo  human  Ikulls,  broker,  bones,  imburied 
and  putrifying  dead  bodies,  hfcfpitals  crouded  with 
fick  and  wounded  Soldiers,  villages  on  fife,  mothers 
in  befieged  towns  eating  the  flefh  of  their  children, 
mips  finking  in  the  ocean,  rivers  dyed  with  blood, 
and  extenfive  plains  without  a  tree  or  fence,  or  any 
other  object,  but  the  ruins  of  deferted  farm  houfes. 

Above  this  group  of  woeful  figures, — let  the 
following  words  be  inferted,  in  red  characters  to  re- 
prcfent  human  blood, 

"    NATIONAL    GLORY." 


INFORMATION  TO  EUROPEANS  WHO    ARE  DISPOSED 
TO  MIGRATE  TO  THE  UNITES  STATES  OF  AMERICA. 

IN    A    LETTER.    TO    A  FRIEND     IN    GREAT    BRITAIN. 


A' 


GREEABLY  to  your  requeft  contained  in 
your  letter  of  the  2pth  of  Auguft,  1789, 
Ihave  at  lad  tat  down  to  communicate  fuch  facts  to  you, 
upon  the  fuhje£l  of  migration  to  this  country,  as  have 
been  the  refult  of  numerous  enquiries  and  obfervation. 
I  am  aware  that  this  fubject  has  been  handled  in  a  maf- 
terly  manner  by  Doctor  Franklin,  in  his  excellent  little 
pamplet,  entitled  «  Advice  to  thofe  who  would  wiih 
«  to  remove  to  America,"  but  as  that  valuable  little 
work  is  very  general,  and  as  many  important  changes 
have  occurred  in  the  affairs  of  the  United  States  fince 
its  publication,  I  mall  endeavour  to  comply  with  your 
wifhes,  by  adding  fuch  things  as  have  been  omitted  by 
the  Doctor,  and  fnall  accommodate  them  to  the 
prefent  ftate  of  our  country. 

I  mail  begin  this  letter  by  mentioning  the  defcrip- 
tions  of  people,  who  ought  not  to  come  to  America. 

I.  Men  of  independent  fortunes  who  can  exift  only 
in  company,  and  who  can  converfe  only  upon  public 
amufements,  fhould  not  think  of  fettling  in  the 
United  States.  I  have  known  feveral  men  of  that 
character  in  this  country,  who  have  rambled  from  State 


INFORMATION    TO    EUROPEANS 

to  State,  complaining  of  the  dulnefs  of  each  of  tlicra, 
and  who  have  finally  returned  and  renewed  their  for 
mer  connexions  and  pleafures  in  Europe. 

II.  Literary  men,  who  have  no  prcfefncnal  purfuits,, 
will  often^languifh   in  America,   from  the   want    of 
fociety.^/Our  authors  and  fcholars  are  generally  men 
of  bufmefs,  and  make  their  literary  purfuits  fubfervient 
to  their  interefts.    A  lounger  in  bock  (lores,  breakfafling 
parties  for  the  purpoie    of   literary  converfation,   and 
long  attic  evenings,  are  as  yet  but  little  known  in    this 
country.     Our    companies  are  generally   mixed,    and 
converfation   in  them    is  a   medley  of  ideas  tipon    all 
fubjeclis.     They  begin  as  in  England  with  the  weather 
— focn  run  into  politics  — now  and  then  diverge  into  li 
terature — and  commonly  conclude  with  fa6ts  relative  to 
commerce,  manufactures  and  agriculture,  and  the  beft 
means  of  acquiring    and  improving  an  eftate.      Men, 
who  are   philofophers  or  poets,  without  other  purfuits, 
Irad  better  end  their  days  in  an  old  country. 

III.  The  United  States  as  yet  a  libra   hut  little  en 
couragement  to  the  profciTers  of  mod  of  the  fine  art?. 
Painting  and  fculpture  flourifn  chiefly  in  wealthy  and 
luxurious  countries.      Our    native    American  portrait, 
painters  who  have  not   fought  protection    end  encou 
ragement  in  Great  Britain,  have  been    obliged  to  travel 
occafionaiiy    from    one  State    to  another    in  order   to 
fupport  themiVives.      The  teachers  of  mufic  have  been 
more  fortunate  in  America.     A  tadc  for  this  accom- 


MIGRATING   TO    THE    UNITED    STATES.  19! 

plimment  prevails  very  generally  in  our  large  cities  : 
and  eminent  mailers  in  that  art,  who  have  arrived 
here  fmce  the  peace,  have  received  conliderable  fums 
of  money  by  exercifmg  their  profeffion  among  us. 

I  mall  now  mention  thofe  descriptions  of  people, 
who  may  better  their  condition  by  coming  to  America. 

I.  To  the  cultivators  of  the  earth  the  United  States 
open  the  firft  afylum  in  the  world.  To  infure  the 
fuccefs  and  happinefs  of  an  European  Farmer  in  our 
country,  it  is  neceffary  to  advife  him  either  to  purchafe 
or  to  rent  a  farm  which  has  undergone  fome  improve 
ment. 

The  bufmefs  of  fettling  a  new  trace  of  land,  and  that 
of  improving  a  farm,  are  of  a  very  different  nature. 
The  former  muft  be  effected  by  the  native  American* 
who  is  accuftomed  to  the  ufe  of  the  axe  and  the  grub 
bing  hoe,  and  who  poffefies  alniofc  exclufively  a  know 
ledge  of  all  the  peculiar  and  namelefs  arts  of  felf-preCer- 
vation  in  the  woods.  I  have  known  many  inftances  of 
Europeans  who  have  fpent  all  their  cam  in  uniuccefs- 
ful  attempts  to  force  a  fettlement  in  the  wiUlernefs, 
and  who  have  afterwards  been  expofed  to  poverty  and 
diftrefs  at  a  great  diilance  from  friends  and  €ven 
neighbours.  I  would  therefore  advife  all  farmers 
with  moderate  capitals,  to  purchafe  or  rent  improved 
farms  in  the  old  fettlements  of  our  States.  The  price 
and  rent  of  thefe  farms  are  different  in  the  different 
parts  of  the  union.  In  Pcrmfylvania,  the  price  of  farms 


lp2  INFORMATION    TO    EUROPEANS 

is  regulated  by  the  quality  of  the  land — by  the  value  or 
the  improvements  which  are  erected  upon  it — by  their 
vicinity  to  fea  ports  and  navigable  water; — and  by  the 
good  or  bad  ftate  of  the  roads  which  lead  to  them. 
There  is  a  great  variety,  of  courfe,  in  the  price  of  farms  : 
while  feme  of  them  have  been  fold  for  five  guineas — 
others  have  been  fold  at  lower  prices,  down  to  one  gui 
nea,  and  even  half  a  guinea  per  acre,  according  as  they 
were  varied  by  the  above  circum {lances. 

It  is  not  expected  that  the  whole  price  of  a  farm 
ihould  be  paid  at  the  time  of  purchafmg  it.  An 
half,  a  third,  or  a  fourth,  is  all  that  is  generally  re 
quired.  Bonds  and  mortgages  are  given  for  the  re 
mainder,  (and  fometitnes  without  intereft)  payable  in 
two,  three,  five,  or  even  ten  years. 

The  value  of  thefe  farms  has  often  been  doubled 
and  even  trebled,  in  a  few  years,  where  the  new  mode 
of  agriculture  has  been  employed  in  cultivating 
them  :  fo  that  a  man  with  a  moderate  capital,  may, 
in  the  courfe  of  fifteen  years,  become  an  opulent  and 
independent  freeholder. 

If,  notwithftanding  what  has  been  faid  of  the 
difficulties  of  effecting  an  eftablifhment  in  the  woods, 
the  low  price  of  the  new  lands  mould  tempt  the 
European  Farmer  to  fettle  in  them,  then  let  me  add, 
that  it  can  only  be  done  by  aflbciating  himfelf  in  a 
large  company,  under  the  direction  of  an  active 
and  intelligent  American  farmer.  To  fecure  even  a 


MIGRATING   TO  THE   UNITED   STATES.  193 

company  of  European  fettlers  from  difappointment 
and  want  in  the  woods,  it  will  be  neceflary  to  clear 
a  few  acres  of  land  the  year  before,  and  to  fow  them 
with  grain,  in  order  to  provide  fubfiftance  for  the 
company,  till  thjey  can  provide  for  themfelves,  by 
clearing  their  own  farms.  The  difficulties  of  eftablifh- 
ing  this  new  fettlement,  will  be  further  leflened,  if  a 
few  cabins,  a  grift  and  a  faw  mill  be  erected,  at  the 
fame  time  the  preparations  are  made  for  the  temporary 
fubfiftance  of  the  company.  In  this  manner,  moft  of 
the  firft  fettlements  of  the  New  England  men  have  been 
made  in  this  country.  One  great  advantage,  attend 
ing  this  mode  of  fettling,  is,  a  company  may  always 
carry  with  them  a  clergyman  and  a  fchoolmafter,  of 
the  fame  religion  and  language  with  themfelves.  If 
a  fettler  in  the  woods  mould  poiTefs  a  tafte  for  rural 
elegance,  he  may  gratify  it  without  any  expenfe,  by 
the  manner  of  laying  out  his  farm.  He  may  (hade 
his  houfe  by  means  of  ancient  and  venerable  forreft- 
trees.  He  may  leave  rows  of  them  {landing,  to 
adorn  his  lanes  and  walks — or  clufters  of  them  on 
the  high  grounds  of  his  fields,  to  made  his  cattle, 
If  he  mould  fix  upon  any  of  thofe  parts  of  our  weft- 
ern  country,  which  are  covered  with  the  fugar-trees, 
he  may  inclofe  a  fufficient  number  of  them  to  fupply 
his  family  with  fugar ;  and  may  confer  upon  them 
at  the  fame  time  the  order  and  beauty  of  a  fine  or 
chard.  In  this  manner,  a  highly  improved  feat  may 

C  c 


194  INFORMATION   TO    EUROPEANS 

be  cut  out  of  the  woods  in  a  few  years,  which  will  fur- 
pafs  both  in  elegance  and  value  a  farm  in  an  old 
fettle ment,  which  has  been  for  twenty  years  the  fub- 
jecl:  of  improvements  in  tafte  and  agriculture.  To 
contemplate  a  dwelling-houfe — a  barn — ftables — fields 
—meadows — an  orchard — a  garden,  Sec.  which  have 
been  produced  from  original  creation* by  the  labour  of 
a  Tingle  life,  is,  I  am  told,  to  the  proprietor  of  them, 
pne  of  the  highefl  pleafures  the  mind  of  man  is  capa 
ble  of  enjoying.  But  how  much  muft  this  pleafure  be 
increafed,  when  the  regularity  of  art  is  blended  in  the 
profpeft,  with  the  wildnefs  and  antiquity  of  nature  ? 

It  has  been  remarked  in  this  country,  that  clearing 
the  land  of  its  woods,  fometimes  makes  a  new  fettle- 
ment  unhealthy,  by  expofing  its  damp  grounds  to  the 
action  of  the  fun.  To  obviate  this  evil,  it  will  be 
neceiTary  for  the  fettler  either  to  drain  and  cultivate  his 
low  grounds,  as  foon  as  they  are  cleared,  or  to  leave 
a  body  of  trees  between  his  dwelling  houfe,  and  the 
fpots  from  whence  the  morbid  effluvia  are  derived. 
The  laft  of  thefe  methods  has,  in  no  inftance  that  I 
have  heard  of,  failed  of  preferring  whole  families 
from  fuch  difeafes  as  arifefrorn  damp  or  putrid  exha 
lations. 

•  To  country  gentlemen,  who  have  been  accuftom- 
ed  to  live  upon  the  income  of  a  landed  eftate  in  Europe  y 
it  will  be  iicceffary  to  communicate  the  following  in 
formation,  viz.  that  farms,  in  confequence  of  the 


MIGRATING   TO  THE  UNITED  STATES.  195 

unproductive  woodland,  which  is  generally  connected 
with   them,    feldom   yield   more   than  three  or  four 
per  cent,   a  year   in  cam,  except  in  the  neighbour 
hood  of -large  cities.      Befides,  from  the  facility  with 
which  money  enough  may  be  laved   in   a  few  years, 
to     purchafe     land     in    this    country,     tenants    will 
not    accept  of  long  leafes  :  and  hence  they  are   not 
fufficiently  interefted  in  the  farms  they  rent,  to   keep 
them  in  repair.     If  country  gentlemen  wifli  to  derive 
the   greateft    advantage   from  laying    out  their  money 
in   lands,  they  muft  refide  in  taeir  vicinity.     A  capital 
of  five   thoufand    guineas,   invefted  in  a  number     of 
contiguous  farms,  in  an  improved  part  of  our  country, 
and  cultivated  by  tenants  under  the  eye  and  direction 
of  a   landlord,   would   foon   yield   a   greater  income 
than  double  that  fum  would  in  mod  parts  of  Europe. 
The  landlord  in   this   cafe   muft  frequently  vifit  and 
infpecl:    the  ftate  of  each  of  his  farms  :  and  now  and 
then  he  muft   ftop    to  repair  a  bridge   or   a  fence  in 
his  excurfions    through  them.       He    muft  receive  all 
his  rents  in  the  produce  of  the  farms.       If  the  tenant 
find  his  own  ftock,  he  will  pay   half  of  all  the  grain 
he  raifes,  and  fometiines  a   certain    proportion  of  ve-^ 
getables  and  live  ftock,   to  his  landlord.     The  divifion 
of  the  grain  is  generally  made  in  the  field,  in  fheaves 
or  (lacks,  which  are  carried  home  to  be  thrafhed  in 
the    barn    of  the    landlord.     An  eftated  gentleman, 
who  can  reconcile    himfelf  to  this  kind  of   life,     may 
be  both    happy  and    ufeful.       He    may  mftru6t  his 


Ipd  INFORMATION    TO    EUROPEANS 

tenants  by  his  example,  as  well  as  precepts  in  the 
new  modes  of  hufbandry  :  he  may  teach  them  the  art 
and  advantages  of  gardening  :  he  may  infpire  them 
with  habits  of  fobriety,  induftry,  and  ceconomy  •,  and 
thereby  become  the  father  and  protector  of  a  depen 
dant  and  affectionate  neighbourhood.  After  a  bufy 
fummer  and  autumn,  he  may  pafs  his  winters  in  polifh- 
cd  fociety  in  any  of  our  cities,  and  in  many  of  our 
country  villages. 

But  mould  he  be  difinclined  to  fuch  extcnfive 
fcenes  of  bufinefs,  he  may  confine  his  purchafes  and 
labours  to  a  fingle  farm,  and  fecure  his  fuperfluous 
cafh  in  bonds  and  mortgages,  which  will  yield  him, 
fix  per  cent. 

Under  this  head,  it  is  proper  to  mention,  that  the 
agricultural  life  begins  to  maintain  in  the  United 
States,  the  fame  rank  that  it  has  long  maintained  in 
Great  Britain.  Many  gentlemen  of  education  among 
us  have  quitted  liberal  profeflions,  and  have  proved, 
by  their  fuccefs  in  farming,  that  philofophy  is  in  no 

hufinefs  more  ufeful  or  profitable,  than  in  agriculture. 

.— ••  j 

II.  MECHANICS  and  MANUFACTURERS,  of  every  def- 
cription,  will  find  certain  encouragement  in  the  Uni 
ted  States.  During  the  connection  of  this  country 
with  Great  Britain,  we  were  taught  to  believe  that 
agriculture  and  commerce  fhould  be  the  only  purfuits 
of  the  Americans  :  but  experiments  and  reflexion 
have  taught  us,  that  our  country  abounds  with  re- 


MIGRATING    TO    THE    UNITED    STATES.  I  ()J 

fources  for  manuf actures  of  all  kinds  :  and  that  moft 
of  them  may  be  conduced  with  great  advantage  in  all 
the  ftates.  We  are  already  nearly  independent  of  the 
whole  world  for  iron-work,  paper,  and  malt  liquors  : 
and  great  progrefs  has  been  made  in  the  manufac- 
turies  of  glafs,  pot-am,  and  cloths  of  all  kinds. 
The  commercial  habits  of  our  citizens  have  as  yet 
prevented  their  employing  large  capitals  in  thofe 
manufactories  :  but  I  am  perfuaded  that  if  a  few  Euro 
pean  adventurers  would  embark  in  them  with  capitals 
equal  to  the  demand  for  thofe  manufactures,  they  would 
foon  find  an  immenfe  profit  in  their  fpeculations.  A 
fingle  farmer  in  the  flate  of  New  York,  with  a  capital 
of  five  thoufand  pounds,  has  cleared  one  thoufand  a 
year  by  the  manufacture  of  pot-am  alone. 

Thofe  mechanical  arts,  which  are  accomodated  to 
the  infant  and  fimple  ftate  of  a  country,  will  bid  faireft 
to  fucceed  among  us.  Every  art,  connected  with  cul 
tivating  the  earth — building  houfes  and  fhips,  and  feed 
ing  and  clothing  the  body,  will  meet  with  encourage 
ment  in  this  country.  The  prices  of  provifions  are 
fo  different  in  the  different  flates,  arid  even  in  the 
different  parts  of  the  fame  ftate,  and  vary  fo  much 
with  the  plenty  and  fcarcity  of  money,  that  it  would 
be  difficult  to  give  you  fuch  an  account  of  them  as 
would  be  ufeful.  I  need  only  remark,  that  the  difpro- 
portion  between  the  price  of  labour  and  of  provifions, 
is  much  greater  in  every  part  of  the  United  States, 
than  in  any  part  of  Europe  :  and  hence  our  tradefmeii 


19$  INFORMATION    TO    EUROPEANS 

every  where  cat  meat  and  butter  every  day :  and  moft 
of  them  realize  the  wim  of  Henry  IV.  of  France,  for 
the  peafants  of  his  kingdom,  by  dining  not  only  once, 
but  two  or  three  times,  upon  poultry,  in  every  week 

of  the  year. 

/ 

It  is  a  fingular  facl:  in  the  hiftory  of  the  mechanical 
arts  in  this  country,  that  the  fame  arts  feldom  defcend 
from  father  to  fon.  Such  are  the  profits  of  even  the 
humbleft  of  them,  that  the  fons  of  mechanics  generally 
rife  from  the  lower  to  the  more  refpedtable  occupa 
tions:  and  thus  their  families  gradually  afcend  to  the  firfl 
ranks  in  fcciety  among  us.  The  influence,  which  the 
profpecls  of  wealth  and  confequence  have  in  invigo 
rating  induftry  in  every  line  of  mechanical  bufinefs,  is 
very  great.  Many  of  the  firft  men  in  America,  are  the 
fons  of  reputable  mechanics  or  farmers.  But  I  may  go 
farther,  and  add,  that  many  men,  who  diftinguifhed 
themfelves  both  in  the  cabinet  and  field,  in  the  late 
war,  had  been  mechanics.  I  know  the  Britifh  officers 
treated  the  American  caufe  with  contempt,  from  this 
circumftance  :  but  the  event  of  the  war  mewed,  that  the 
confidence  of  America  was  not  mifplaccd  in  that  body 
of  citizens. 

III.  LABOURERS  may  depend  upon  conftant  em 
ployment  in  the  United  States,  both  in  our  towns  and 
in  the  country.  When  they  work  by  the  day,  they 
receive  high  wages  :  but  thefc  are  feldom  continued 


MIGRATING   TO    THE   UNITED    STATES.          199 

through  the  whole  year.  A  labourer  receives  annually, 
with  his  boarding,  warning,  and  lodging,  from  fif 
teen  to  eighteen  guineas,  in  the  middle  dates.  It 
is  agreeable  to  obferve  this  clafs  of  men  frequently 
raifed  by  their  induftry  from  their  humble  ftations, 
into  the  upper  ranks  of  life,  in  the  courfe  of  twenty  or 
thirty  years. 

IV.  PERSONS  who  are  wilting  to  indent  themfelvcs 
as  fervants  for  a  few  years,  will    find  that    humble 
{ration   no  obftacle  to  a    future  eftablifhment  in  our 
country.     Many  men,  who  came  to  America  in  that 
capacity,  are  now  in  affluent  circumflances.     Their 
former   fituation,  where  they  have  behaved  well,  does 
not  preclude  them  from  forming  refpectable  connec 
tions   in   marriage,    nor   from  fharing,    if  otherwifc 
qualified,  in  the  offices  of  our  country. 

V.  The  United  States  continue  to  afford  encourage 
ment  to  gentlemen  of  the  learned  profeffions^  provided 
they  be  prudent  in  their  deportment,  and  of  fufficient 
knowledge  :  for  fince  the  eflablifhment  of  colleges  and 
fchools  of  learning  in  all  our  dates,   the  fame  degrees 
of  learning  will  not  fucceed  among  us,  which  fucceedcd 
fifty  years  ago. 

Several  lawyers  and  phyficians,  who  have  arrived 
here  fince  the  peace,  are  now  in  good  bufinefs :  and 
many  clergymen,  natives  of  England,  Scotland,  and 
Ireland,  are  comfortably  fettled  in  good  parilhes.  A 


INFORMATION   TO   EUROPEANS 

minifter  of  the  gofpcl  in  a  country  place  muft  not  e*-» 
peer,  to  have  all  his  falary  paid  in  cam  :  but  he  will 
notwithitanding  feldom  fail  of  obtaining  a  good  fubfif- 
tance  from  his  congregation.  They  will  furnifh  his 
table  with  a  portion  of  all  the  live  flock  they  raife  for 
their  own  ufe  :  they  will  fhoe  his  horfes — repair  his 
implements  of  hufbandry,  and  aflift  him  in  gathering 
in  his  harvefts,  and  in  many  other  parts  of  the  bufmefs 
of  his  farm.  From  thefe  aids,  with  now  and  then  a 
little  cafh,  a  clergyman  may  not  only  live  well,  but, 
in  the  courfe  of  his  life,  may  accumulate  an  handfome 
eftate  for  his  children.  This  will  more  certainly 
happen,  if  he  can  redeem  time  enough  from  his  paro 
chial  duties,  and  the  care  of  his  farm,  to  teach  a  fchool. 
The  people  of  America  are  of  all  feels  :  but  the  greatefl 
part  of  them  arc  of  the  independent,  prefbyterian,  epif- 
copal,  baptift,  and  methodifl  denominations.  The 
principles  held  by  each  of  thefe  focieties  in  America 
are  the  fame  as  thofe  which  are  held  by  the  proteftant 
churches  in  Europe,  from  which  they  derive  their 
origin. 

VI.  SCHOOLMASTERS  of  good  capacities  and  fair 
characters  may  exepft  to  meet  with  encouragement 
in  the  middle  and  fouthern  ftates.  They  will  fucceed 
better,  if  they  confine  their  inftru&ions  to  reading, 
writing,  Englifh  grammar,  and  the  fciences  of  number 
and  quantity.  Thefe  branches  of  literature  are  of 
general  neceffity  and  utility  :  ami  of  courfe  every 


MIGRATING    TO    THE    UNITED    STATES.          2OI 

townfliip  will  furnifli  fcholars  enough  for  the  main 
tenance  of  a  fchoolmafter.  Many  young  men  have 
rifen  by  means  of  the  connexions  they  have  formed 
in  this  ufeful  employment,  to  rank  and  confequence 
in  the  learned  profeflions  in  every  part  of  this  country. 

From  this  account  of  the  United  States,  you  will 
cafily  perceive,  that  they  are"  a  hot-bed  for  induftry 
and  genius  in  almoft  every  human  purfuit.  It  is  in 
conceivable  how  many  ufeful  difcoveries  neceflity  has 
produced  within  thefe  few  years,  in  agriculture  and 
manufactures,  in  our  country.  The  fame  neceffity  has 
produced  a  verfatility  of  genius  among  our  citizens  : 
hence  we  frequently  mset  with  men  who  have  exercif- 
ed  two  or  three  diiTerent  occupations  or  profeffions  in 
the  courfc  of  their  lives,  according  to  the  influence 
which  intereft,  accident,  or  local  eircumftances  have 
had  upon  them.  I  know  that  the  peculiarities,  which 
have  been  mentioned  in  the  American  character,  ftrike 
an  European,  who  has  been  accuftomed  to  confider 
man  as  a  creature  of  habit,  formed  by  long  eftablimed 
governments,  and  hereditary  cufhoms,  as  fo  many 
deviations  from  propriety  and  order.  But  a  wife  man, 
who  knows  that  national  characters  arife  from  circum- 
itances,  will  view  thefe  peculiarities  without  furprife, 
and  attribute  them  wholly  to  the  prefent  (late  of  man 
ners,  fociety,  and  government  in  America. 

From  the  numerous  competitions  in  every  branch 
of  bufmefs  in  Europe,  fuccsfs  in  any  purfuit,  may  be 

D  d 


202  INFORMATION    TO   EUROPEANS 

looked  upon  in  the  fame  light  as  a  prize  in  a  lottery. 
But  the  cafe  is  widely  different  in  America.  Hers 
there  is  room  enough  for  every  human  talent  and 
virtue  to  expand  and  fkmrifh.  This  is  fo  invariably 
true,  that  I  believe  there  is  not  an  inftance  to  be  found, 
of  an  induftrious,  frugal  prudent  European,  with  fober 
manners,  who  has  not  been  fuccefsful  in  bufmefs,  in 
this  country. 

As  a  further  inducement  to  Europeans  to  tranfport 
themfelves  acrofs  the  Ocean,  I  am  obliged  to  mention 
a  fact  that  c'oes  little  honour  to  the  native  American  ; 
and  that  is,  in  all  competitions  for  bufinefs,  where  fuc- 
cefs  depends  upon  induftry,  the  European  is  generally 
preferred.  Indeed,  fuch  is  the  facility  with  which  pro 
perty  is  acquired,  that  where  it  does  not  operate  as 
aftimulus  to  promote  ambition,  it  is  fometimes  accom 
panied  by  a  relaxation  of  induftry  in  proportion  to  the 
number  of  years  or  generations  which  interpofe  be 
tween  the  founder  of  an  American  family  and  his  pof- 
tcrity.  This  preference  of  European  mechanics  arifes, 
likewife,  from  the  improvements  in  the  different  arts, 
which  arc  from  time  to  time  imported  by  them  into 
our  country.  To  thefe  fa£h  I  am  happy  in  being  able 
to  add,  that  the  years  of  anarchy,  which  proved  fo 
difguiling  to  the  Europeans  who  arrived  among  us 
immediately  after  the  peace,  are  now  at  an  end,  and 
that  the  United  States  have  at  lad  adopted  a  national 
government  which  unites  with  the  vigour  of  monarchy 
and  the  {lability  of  uriftocracy,  all  the  freedom  of 


MIGRATING   TO    THE    UNITED    STATES.          203 

a  fimple  republic*  Its  influence  already  in  invigorat 
ing  indu  dry,  and  reviving  credit,  is  univerfal.  There 
are  feveral  peculiarities  in  this  government,  which  can 
not  fail  of  being  agreeable  to  Europeans,  who  are 
difpofed  to  fettle  in  America. 

1.  The  equal  (hare  of  power  it  holds  forth  to  men 
of  every  religious  feet.     As  the  firft  fruits  of  this  per 
fection  in  our  government,  we  already  fee  three  gen 
tlemen  of  the  Roman  Catholic  church,  members  of  the 
Jegiflature  of  the  United  States. 

2.  Birth  in  America  is  not  required  for  holdingeither 
power  or  office  in  the  federal  government,  except  that 
of  Prefident  of  the  United  States.      In  confequence  of 
this  principle  of    juflice,    not  only  in    the    national 
government,  but  in  all  our  ftate  conflitutions,  we  dai 
ly  fee  the  natives  of  Britain,    Ireland,  Germany,  ad 
vanced  to  the  moft  refpeclable    employments  in    our 
country. 

3.  By  a  late  acT:  of  congrcfs,  only  two  years  refidence 
in  the  United  States  are  necefTary  to  entitle  foreign 
ers   of  good  character  to    all   the  priviliges  of  citizen- 
fliip.     Even   thai  fhort  period  of  time  has  been  found 
fuScient  to    give    flrangers  a  vifible    intereft  in  the 
(lability      and     freedom    of     our     governments.     * 

It  is   agreeable   to  obferve  the  influence  which  our 
republican    governments  have   already  had   upon  the 

*  By  alawpafledfmce  the  above,  five   years   refidcncc  are  neceflary 
tP  entitle  a  fjvcigner  to  citizenihip. 


204  INFORMATION   TO    EUROPEANS 

tempers  and  manners  of  our  citizens.  Amufement 
is  every  where  giving  way  to  bufmefs :  and  local 
politenefs  is  yielding  to  univerfal  civittty^/ftTe  differ 
about  forms  and  modes  in  politics  :  but  this  difference 
begins  to  fubmit  to  the  reilraints  of  moral  and  focial 
obligation.  Order  and  tranquility  appear  to  b*.:  the 
natural  confequence  of  a  well-balanced  republic  :  for 
where  men  can  remove  the  evils  of  their  govern 
ments  by  frequent  elections,  they  will  feldom  appeal 
to  the  kfs  certain  remedies  of  mobs  or  arms.  It  is 

*  \ 

with  fmgular  pleafure  that  I  can  add  further,  that 
iiotwithflanding  the  virulence  of  our  diiTenfions  about 
independence  and  the  federal  government,  there  is 
now  fcarcely  a  citizen  of  the  United  States,  who  is 
not  fatisfied  with  both,  and  who  does  not  believe  this 
country  to  be  in  a  happier  and  fafer  fituation,  than 
it  was,  in  the  moft  flourifhing  years  of  its  dependence 
upon  Great  Britain. 

The  ericouragment  held  out  to  European  emigrants 
is  not  the  fame  in  all  the  Mates.  New  England,  New 
York,  and  New  Jerfey,  being  nearly  filled  with  culti 
vators  of  the  earth,  afford  encouragement  chiefly  to 
mechanicks  and  labourers.  The  inhabitants  of  New 
England  have  far  furpaffed  the  inhabitants  of  the  other 
ftates,  in  the  eflablifhment  of  numerous  and  profitable 
manufactories.  Thefe  wonderful  people  difcover  the 
fame  degrees  of  induftry  in  cultivating  the  arts  of 
peace,  that  they  did  of  enterprize  and  perfevcrancc, 
in  the  late  war.  They  already  export  large  quantities 


MIGRATING  TO  THE  UNITED    STATES.  205 

of  wrought  iron,  hats,  women's  {hoes,  cheefc,  and 
linen  and  woolen  cloth.  The  ft  ate  of  New- York 
lias  likewife  difcovered  a  laudable  fpirit  for  manu 
facturers  and  domeflie  improvements.  European 
artiils,  therefore,  -cannot  fail  of  meeting  with  encou 
ragement  in  each  of  the  above  flates. 

Pennfylvania  affords  an  equal  afylum  to  all  the  de- 
fcriptions  of  people -that  have  been  mentioned,  under  the 
fecond    head    of  this    letter.     Agriculture,  manufac 
tures,  and  many  of  the   liberal   arts  feem  to  vie    with 
each  other  for   pre-eminence  in  this    flare.     Each  of 
them  is  under  the  patronage  of  numerous  andrefpeclable 
focieties.     No  flate    in  the  union    affords  greater  re- 
fources  for   {hip  building,  malt  liquors,  maple  fugar, 
fail  cloth,  iron  work,  woolen  and  linen   cloths,  pot- 
am,  and  glafs.  Coal,  likewifej  abounds  on  the  fliores  of 
the  Sufqueharma,  a  large  river  which  runs  through  half 
the  Mate.  The  variety  of  feclis  and  nations,  which  com- 
pofe  the  inhabitants  of  this  flate,  has  hitherto  prevented 
our  having  any  Ready  traits  in  our  character.       We 
poflefs    the   virtues   and    weakneffes    of  mofl  of  the 
fects  and  nations  of  Europe.     But   this   variety    has 
produced  fuch  a  collifion  in  opinions  and  interefls,  as 
has  greatly  favoured  the  progrcfs  of   genius  in  every 
art    and   fcience.     We    have  been  accufed  of  being 
factious  by  our  fitter  flates.  This  mutt  be  afcribed  chief 
ly  to  our  late  flate  conftitution,  which  was  eflablifhcd 
by  violence  in  the  beginning  of  the  late  war,  and  which 
was  never  affented  to   by    a  majority   of   the  people. 


206  INFORMATION    TO  EUROPEANS 

But  that  majority  have  at  length  afierted  their  power, 
A  convention,  compofed  of  an  equal  representation  of 
the  people,  has  met  and  formed  a  new  con(litution> 
which  comprehends  in  it  every  principle  of  liberty  and 
juft  government.  From  the  excellency  of  this  conilitu- 
tion — from  the  harmony  it  has  reflored  to  our  citizens 
— from  the  central  fituation  of  our  ftate — from  the 
number  and  courfes  of  our  rivers — from  the  facility 
with  which  we  are  able  to  draw  the  refources  of  the 
lakes  to  the  Delaware — from  the  wealth  of  our 
capital — and  above  all,  from  the  induflry  r.nd  fober 
habits  of  our  citrzcns — there  can  be  no  doubt  that 
Pennfylvania  will  always  maintain  the  firft  rank,  for 
national  profperity  and  happinefs,  in  the  United 
States. 

There  is  one  circumftance,  peculiar  in  a  great  de 
gree  to  Penfylvania,  which  cannot  fail  of  directing 
the  eyes  of  the  inhabitants  of  feveral  of  the  European 
nations  to  this  ftatc — and  that  is,  the  natives  of 
Britain,  Ireland,  Germany,  France,  Switzerland, 
and  Holland,  m.iy  here  meet  with  their  former  fellow 
fubjects,  and  receive  from  them  that  welcome  and 
aifiltarice,  which  are  the  natural  confequcnces  of  the 
tie  of  country.  So  ftrongly  does  this  principle* 
operate  in  America,  that  the  natives  of  Germany 
and  Ireland  have  formed  themfelves  into  focictics 
ill  the  city  of  Philadelphia,  for  the  cxprcis  purpose 
of  protecting,  advifing,  and  aflifting  their  country- 


•MIGRATING    TO    THE    UNITED    STATES. 

men,    as  foon  as  they   fet  their  feet   upon  the   fhores 
•of  Pfennfylvania, 

It  has  been  faid,that  the  lands   in  Pennfylvania  arc 
dearer  than  in  fome  of  our  fitter  flares.     They  fell,  it 
is  true,  for  a  greater  nominal  fum,  than  the  lands  of 
the  neighbouring    ftates  :  but  in    the    end,  they  are 
much  cheaper.     The  foil  is  deep,  rich,  and    durable, 
and    from   the    fuperior    induftry    and    (kill   of  our 
farmers,    cur  lands  are  more  productive  than  thofc  of 
our  neighbours  j    hence  their    higher   price  ;  for  the 
price  of  lands    is   always    in  a  ratio   to   their  quality, 
produce  and    fituation :  hence  likewife,    we  are    able 
to  tell  the  value  of  a  farm   in  any    part  of  the  (late, 
by  firft    finding    out  the   quantity  of  grain    an  acre 
will    produce,    and    the  price  of    this  grain  at    the 
ncareft   rnili  or   ftore,   making   fome    little  allowance 
for  the  improvements  which   are  connected  with  the 
farm.       This    remark    is  fo  imivcrfally  true,  that  a 
farmer  never  mjftakes  the  application  of  it  in  pur- 
chafing  land.  There  is  a  certain  inflincl,  which  governs 
in  all  purchafcs  and  fales  of  firms,  and  which  arifes  out 
of  the  principle  I  have  mentioned:  it  is   in  general  as 
accurate,  as  if  it  arofe  out  of  the  niceft  calculation.     It 
is  from  an  ignorance  or  neglect  of  this  principle,  that  fo 
many  of  our  citizens  have  migrated  to  Kentucky,  under 
a  delufive  expectation  of  purchafmg  lands  cheaper  than 
in  the  old  Mates.     They  are  in  fact   often  much  dearer 
when  you  eflimate  their  price  by  the  profit  of  the  grain 
which  is  cultivated  upon  them.     For  inftance,  an  acre 


2O8  INFORMATION  TO  EUROPEANS 

of  land  in  Kentucky,  which  fells  for  a  quarter  of  a 
guinea,  and  yields  30  buihels  of  corn,  at  four  pence 
fteriing  per  bumel,  is  dearer  than  land  of  the  fame 
quality  in  Pennfylvania,  at  a  guinea  per  acre,  that 
yields  the  fame  quantity  of  corn,  which  can  be  fold 
at  the  nearefl  mill  or  Itore  for  two  ihillings  fieri,  per 
bufliel.  To  cure  this  paffion  for  migrating  to  the 
waters  of  the  Ohio,  there  is  but  one  remedy,  and  that  is, 
to  open  the  navigation  of  the  MiiTnTippi.  This,  by 
raifing  the  price  of  produce,  will  raife  the  value  of 
land  fo  high,  as  to  deltroy  the  balance  of  attraction 
to  that  country.  This  truth  is  at  prefect  a  fpecula- 
lative  one,  but  I  hope  it  will  be  reduced  to  practice 
before  the  waters  of  the  Ohio  and  Mifliflippi  have 
been  dyed  with  the  blood  of  two  or  three  hundred 
thoufand  men. 

The  ftar.es  to  the  fouthward  of  Pennfylvania  pcfTefs 
immenfe  refources  for  political  happinefs  :  but  while 
they  tolerate  negro  flavery,  they  can  never  be  an 
agreeable  retreat  for  an  European.  This  objection 
applies  chiefly  to  the  fea  coails  of  thofe  fbtes ; 
for  in  the  weftern  parts  of  them,  the  land  is  cultivated 
chiefly  by  freemen.  The  foil  and  climate  of  the 
exrenfive  weflern  country  of  thofe  dates  is  kind  and 
mild  to  a  very  great  degree.  There  Europeans  may 
profpcr  and  be  happy. 

Thus,  Sir,  have  I  complied  in  a  few  words  with 
your  requeft.  In  communicating  many  of  the  facts 
contained  in  this  letter,  I  have  not  confidered  you 


MIGRATING   TO    THE    UNITED    STATES.  20$ 

{imply  as  a  citizen  of  London,  or  a  fubjecT;  of  the 
crown  of  Britain.  The  whole  family  of  mankind., 
I  know  are  your  brethren  5  and  if  men  be  happy 
I  am  fure  it  is  a  matter  of  indifference  to  you, 
whether  they  enjoy  their  happinefs  on  this  fide,  or 
on  the  other  fide  of  the  Atlantic  ocean. 

From  a  review  of  the  facts  that  have  been  men 
tioned,  you  will  perceive  that  the  prefent  is  the  age 
of  reafon  and  action  in  America.  To  our  pofterity 
we  muft  bequeath  the  cultivation  of  the  fine  arts 
and  the  pleafures  of  tafte  and  fentiment.  The 
foreigners  who  have  vifited  and  defcribed  our  country 
without  making  allowances  for  thofe  peculiarities  which 
arife  from  our  prefent  (late  of  fociety,  have  done  as 
little  honour  to  their  understandings,  as  they  have 
done  to  human  nature.  Noj:  have  thofe  Europeans- 
clifcovered  more  wifdom,  who  have  blended  with 
the  American  character,  the  accidental  diforders, 
which  were  the  offspring  of  our  late  public  commo 
tions.  They  refembled  the  fwelling  of  the  fea,  which 
fucceeds  a  ftorm.  At  prefent,  they  have  as  perfectly 
fubfided  as  the  diforders  produced  by  the  civil  wars 
in  England,  in  the  lad  century. 

It  is  fomewhat  remarkable  that  in  every  age,  great 
inventions  and  great  revolutions  in  human  affairs  have 
taken  place  in  a  quick  fucceffion  to  each  other.  The 
many  curious  machines  for  leffening  labour,  which 


UIO  INFORMATION    TO    EUROPEANS 

have  lately  been  difcovered  in  Europe,  will  neccflarily" 
throw  many   thoufand  artificers  out  of  employment- 
Perhaps  the  late  fuccefsful  application  of  the  powers 
of  fire  and  water  to  mechanical    purpofes    in    your 
country,  was   delayed   until    the    prefent    time,    only 
that  the  fanCtuary  of  our  national  government  might 
be  perfectly  prepared  to  receive    and    protect   thofc 
induftrious  bodies  of  people,  who  formerly  lived  by 
the  labour  of  their  hands,  and  who   might  otherwife 
become  a  burden  to  the  countries  in  Munich  they  had 
been  deprived  of  the  means  of  fupporting  themfelves. 
Perhaps,  too,  the   revolutions,  which  are  now  going 
forward  in  ieveral  of  the  governments  on  the  conti 
nent  of  Europe,  have  occurred  at  the  prefent  juncture 
for    a   purpofe    equally  wife    and  benevolent.     The 
firft    effect  of  the    eftablimment    of   freedom  in  thofe 
countries,  will  be  to  promote  population,  by  reducing 
taxes,  difbanding  Handing  armies,  and  abolifhing  the 
vows  and    practices    of   celibacy  :  for  I   take    it   for 
granted  that  military  iriflitutions  in  the  time  of  peace, 
and   monafteries   of  all  kinds,  muft  yield  to  the  pre 
fent  force    and  cultivated    ftate   of  human  reafon,   in 
thofe  countries,  which  are  now  the  theatres  of  revolu 
tions  in  favour  of  liberty.     This  increafe  of  population 
will   require  an   increafe  of  territory,   which  mult   be 
fought  for  in  the  United  States  :  for  it  is  not  probable 
that  men  who  have  once  tufted  of  the  fweets  of  liberty' 
will  ever  think  of  tranfporting  themfelves  to  any  other 
country.       This  outlet  for  fupernumerary  inhabitants 


MIGRATING   TO  THE    UNITED   STATES.  21  fi 

from  the  nations  of  Europe,  will  eventually  promote 
their  interefh  and  profperity :  for  when  a  country  is 
fo  much  crouded  with  people,  that  the  price  of  the 
means  of  fubfiftence  is  beyond  the  ratio  of  their 
induftry,  marriages  are  re  drained :  but  when  emi 
gration  to  a  certain  degree  takes  place,  the  balance 
between  the  means  of  fubfiftence  and  induftry  is 
reftored,  and  population  thereby  revived.  Of  the 
truth  of  this  principle  there  are  many  proofs  in  the 
old  counties  of  all  the  American  ftates.  Population  has 
conftantly  been  advanced  in  them  by  the  migration  of 
their  inhabitants  to  new  or  diftant  fettlements. 

In  ipite  of  all  the  little  fyftems  of  narrow  politicians, 
it  is  an  eternal  truth,  that  univerfal  happinefs  is  uni- 
verfal  intereft.  The  divine  government  of  our  world 
would  admit  of  a  controverfy,  if  men,  by  acquiring 
moral  or  political  happinefs,  in  one  part,  added  to  the 
mifery  of  the  inhabitants  of  another  part,  of  our  globe. 

I  fliall  conclude  this  long  letter  by  the  two  fol 
lowing  remarks : 

I.  If  freedom,  joined  with  the  facility  of  acquiring 
the  m-nns  of  fubfiftence,  have  fuch  an  influence  upon 
population — and  if  exiftence  be  a  title  to  happinefs — 
then  think,  fir,  what  an  ocean  of  additional  happinefs 
will  be  created,  by  the  influence  which  migration  to 
the  free  and  extenfive  territories  of  the  United  States 
will  have,  upon  the  numbers  of  mankind. 


212  INFORMATION   TO   EUROPEANS,    &C 

II.  If  wars  have  been  promoted  in  all  ages  and 
countries,  by  an  over  proportion  of  inhabitants  to 
the  means  of  eafy  fubfiftence,  then  think,  fir,  what 
sn  influence  upon  the  means  of  fupporting  human 
life,  migration  to  America,  and  the  immenfe  increafe 
of  the  productions  of  the  earth,  by  the  late  improve 
ments  in  agriculture,  will  probably  have,  in  leflening 
the  temptations  and  refources  of  nations  to  carry 
on  war.  The  promifes  of  heaven  are  often  accom- 
plifhed  by  means  in  which  there  is  no  departure 
from  the  common  operations  of  nature.  If  the 
events,  which  have  been  alluded  to,  fhould  con 
tribute  in  any  degree  to  put  an  end  to  wars,  it 
will  furnim  a  noble  triumph  to  your  fociety  f,  by 
{hewing  how  much  enlightened  policy,  and  national 
happinefs,  are  connected  with  the  dictates  of  chrif- 
tianity. 

I  am, 
Dear  fir, 

With  great  refpe£r., 
And  fincere  regard, 

Yours  very  aftecYionately, 
> 
Phllatklfiia,  April  16.  1790. 

f  The  gentleman  to  whom  this  letter  is   addrefled,  is  of  the  fociery 
«f  the  .people  called  quakers. 


AN    ACCOUNT      OF    THE    PROGRESS    OF    POPULATION, 
AGRICULTURE,     MANNERS,    AND     GOVERNMENT     IN 

PENNSYLVANIA,   IN  A    LETTER  TO  A  FRIEND   itf 
ENGLAND. 


DEAR    SIR, 

WHATEVER  tends  to  unfold  facts  in  the 
hiftory  of  the  human  fpecies,  muft  be 
interefting  to  a  curious  enquirer. — The  manner  ot 
fettling  a  new  country,  exhibits  a  view  of  the  human 
mind  fo  foreign  to  the  views  of  it  which  have  been 
taken  for  many  centuries  in  Europe,  that  I  flatter 
myfelf  the  following  account  of  the  progrefs  of  po 
pulation,  agriculture,  manners,  and  government  in 
Pennfylvania  will  be  acceptable  to  you.  I  have 
chofen  to  confine  myfelf  in  the  'prefent  letter  to 
Pennfylvania  only,  that  ?.il  the  information  I  {hall 
give  you  may  be  derived  from  my  own  knowledge 
and  obfervations. 

Thej£r/?  fettler  in  the  woods  is  generally  a  man  who 
has  outlived  his  credit  or  foitune  in  the  cultivated 
parts  of  the  State.  His  time  for  migrating  is  in 
the  month  of  April.  His  fir  ft  cbjecl:  is  to  build  a  fmali 
cabbin  of  rough  logs  for  himfelf  and  family.  The 
floor  of  this  cabbin  is  of  earth,  the  roof  is  of  fplit 
logs — the  li^ht  is  received  through  the  door,  and,  in 


214  AN    ACCOUNT    OF    THE    PROGRESS    OF 

fome  inftances,  through  a  fmall  window  made  of 
greafed  paper.  A  coarfer  building  adjoining  this 
cabbin  affords  a  flicker  to  a  cow  and  a  puir  of 
poor  horics.  The  labor  of  creeling  thefe  buildings- 
is  fucceeded  by  killing  the  trees  on  a  few  acres  of 
ground  near  his  cabbin  ;  this  is  done  by  cutting  a 
circle  round  the  trees,  two  or  three  feet  from  the 
ground.  The  ground  around  thefe  trees  is  then 
ploughed  and  Indian-corn  planted  in  it.  The  fcafon 
for  planting  this  grain  is  about  the  2oth  of  May — 
It  grows  generally  on  new  ground  with  but  little 
cultivation,  and  yields  in  the  month  of  October  fol 
lowing,  from  forty  to  fifty  bufhels  by  the  acre.  After 
the  firft  of  September  it  affords  a  good  deal  of  nou- 
rifnment  to  his  family,  in  its  green  or  unripe  ftate,  in 
the  form  of  what  is  called  roafling  ears.  His  family 
is  fed  during  the  fummer  by  a  fmall  quantity  of  grain 
which  he  carries  with  him,  and  by  fim  and  game. 
His  cows  and  horfes  feed  upon  wild  grafs.  or  the 
fucculent  twigs  of  the  woods.  For  the  firft  year  he 
endures  a  great  deal  of  diilrefs  from  hunger — cold — 
and  a  variety  of  accidental  caufes,  but  he  feldom 
complains  or  fmks  under  them.  As  he  lives  in  the 
neighbourhood  of  Indians,  he  foon  acquires  a  flrong 
tin6hire  of  their  manners.  His  exertions,  while  they 
continue,  are  violent ;  but  they  are  fucceeded  by  long 
intervals  of  reft.  His  pleafures  confift  chiefly  in 
fifhing  and  hunting.  He  loves  fpirituous  liquors> 
and  he  eats,  drinks  and  deeps  in  dirt  and  rags  in 
his  little  cabbin.  In  his  intercourfe  with  the  world 


POPULATION,  &C.    IN    PENNSYLVANIA.  215 

he  manifefts  all  the  arts  which  chara&erize  the 
Indians  of  our  country.  In  ,this  fituation  he  paffes 
two  or  three  years.  In  proportion  as  population 
increafes  around  him,  he  becomes  uneafy  and  diffatisfi- 
ed.  Formerly  his  cattle  ranged  at  large,  but  now 
his  neighbours  call  upon  him  to  confine  them  with 
in  fences,  to  prevent  their  trefpafiing  upon  their 
fields  of  grain.  Formerly  he  fed  his  family  with 
wild  animals,  but  thefe,  which  fly  from  the  face  of 
man,  now  ceafe  to  afford  him  an  eafy  fubfiftence,  and 
he  is  compelled  to  raife  domeftic  animals  for  the 
fupport  of  his  family.  Above  all,  he  revolts  againft 
the  operation  of  laws.  He  cannot  bear  to  furrender 
up  a  (ingle  natural  right  for  all  the  benefits  of  go 
vernment, — and  therefore  he  abandons  his  little 
fettlement,  and  feeks  a  retreat  in  the  woods,  where 
he  again  fubmits  to  all  the  toils  which  have  been 
mentioned.  There  are  inftances  of  many  men  who 
have  broken  ground  on  bare  creation,  not  lefs  than 
four  different  times  in  this  way,  in  different  and  more 
advanced  parts  of  the  State.  It  has  been  remarked, 
that  the  flight  of  this  clafs  of  people  is  always  in- 
creafed  by  the  preaching  of  the  gofpel.  This  will 
not  furprife  us  when  we  confider  how  oppofite  its 
precepts  are  to  their  licentious  manner  of  living.  If 
our  firft  fettler  was  the  owner  of  the  fpot  of  land 
which  he  began  to  cultivate,  he  fells  it  at  a  confidera- 
ble  profit  to  his  fucceflbr  ;  but  if  (as  is  oftner  the 
cafe)  he  was  a  tenant  to  fome  rich  landholder, 


2\6  AN    ACCOUNT    OE    THE    PROGRESS    OF 

he  abandons  it  in  debt ;  however,  the  fmall  improve 
ments  he  leaves  behind  him,  generally  make  it  an 
objecl:  of  immediate  demand  to  a  fccond  fpecies  of 
fettler. 

This  fpecies  of  fettler  is  generally  a  man  of  fome 
property, — he  pays  one  third  or  one  fourth  part '  in 
cafh  for  his  plantation,  which  confifts  of  three  or 
four  hundred  acres,  and  the  reft  in  gales  or  inftal- 
ments,  as  it  is  called  here  -,  that  is,  a  certain  fum 
yearly,  without  interefl,  'till  the  whole  is  paid.  The 
firft  object  of  this  fettler  is  to  build  an  addition  to 
his  cabbin  ;  this  is  done  with  hewed  logs :  and  as 
faw-mills  generally  follow  fettlements,  his  floors  arc 
made  of  boards  ;  his  roof  is  made  of  what  are  call 
ed  clapboards,  which  are  a  kind  of  coarfe  mingles, 
fplit  out  of  Ihort  oak  logs.  This  houfe  is  divided  by 
two  floors,  on  each  of  which  are  two  rooms  :  under 
the  whole  is  a  cellar  walled  with  flone.  The  cabbin 
ferves  as  kitchen  to  this  houfe.  His  next  objecl:  is  to 
clear  a  little  meadow  ground,  and  plant  an  orchard 
of  two  or  three  hundred  apple  trees.  His  (table  is 
likev/ife  enlarged  ;  and,  in  the  courfe  of  a  year  or 
two,  he  builds  a  large  log  barn,  the  roof  of  which  is 
commonly  thatched  with  rye  draw  :  he  moreover 
encreafes  the  quantity  of  his  arable  land  •,  and,  inftead 
of  cultivating  Indian  corn  alone,  he  raifes  a  quantity  of 
wheat  and  rye :  the  latter  is  cultivated  chiefly  for 
the  punpofc  of  b'jing  diiiillcd  into  whilkey.  This 


POPULATION,    &C.  IN    PENNSYLVANIA.  2*1*1 

cits  of  fettler  by  no  means  extra&s  all  from  the  earth, 
wliich  it  is  capable  of  giving.       Kis  fields  yield  but  a 
fcanty   ihcrcale,  owing  to  the  ground  not  being  fuffici- 
ently  ploughed.  The  hopes  of  the  year  are  often  blafted 
by  his  cattle  breaking  through  his  half  made  fences,  and. 
destroying  his  grain.     His  horfes  perform  but  half  the 
labor  that  might  be  expe&ed  from  them,  if  they  were 
better  fed  ;  and  his  cattle  often  die  in  the  fpring  from 
the  want  of  provifion,  and  the  delay  of    grafs.     His 
houfe,  as  well  as  his  farm,  bear  many  marks  of  a  weak 
tone  of  mind.  His  windows  are  unglazed,or,  if  they  have 
had  glafs  in  them,  the  ruins  of  it  are  fupplied  with  old  hats 
or  pillows.  This  fpecies  of  fettler  is  feldom  a  good  mem 
ber  of  civil  or  religious   fociety  :  with  a   large    portion 
of  a  hereditary  mechanical  kind  of  religion,  he  neglects 
to  contribute  fufficiently  towards  building  a  church,  or 
maintaining   a  regular  adminiftration  of  the  ordinances 
of  the  gofpel :  he  is  equally  indifpofed  to   fupport  civil 
government :  with  high  ideas  of  liberty,  he  refufes  to 
bear  his  proportion  of  the  debt   contracted  by  its  ef- 
tablimment  in  our  country  :  he  delights  chiefly  in  com 
pany —  fometimes  drinks  fpirituous  liquors  to  excefs — 
will  fpend  a  day  or  two   in  every  week,  in  attending 
political  meetings  ;  and,  thus,  he  contracts  debts  which, 
(if  he  cannot  difcharge  in  a  depreciated  paper  curren 
cy)  compel   him    to  fell  his  plantation,   generally   in 
the  courfe  of  a  few  years,  to  the  third  and  lafl  fpecies 
of  fettler. 

F  f 


218         AN    ACCOUNT  0F  THE  PROGRESS  OF 

This  fpecies  of  fettler  is  commonly  a  man  of  proper 
ty  and  good  character — fometimes  he  is  the  fon  of  a 
wealthy  farmer  in  one  of  the  interior  and  ancient 
counties  of  the  ftate.  His  firft  object  is  to  convert 
every  fpot  of  ground,  over  which  he  is  able  to  draw 
water,  into  meadow  :  where  this  cannot  be  done,  he 
felefts  the  moft  fertile  fpots  on  the  farm,  and  devotes 
it  by  manure  to  that  purpofe.  His  next  object:  is  to 
build  a  barn,  which  he  prefers  of  (lone.  This  build 
ing  is,  in  fome  inftances,  100  feet  in  front,  and  40 
in  depth :  it  is  made  very  compact,  fo  as  to  fhut  out 
the  cold  in  winter  j  for  our  farmers  find  that  their 
horfes  and  cattle,  when  kept  warm,  do  not  require 
near  as  much  food,  as  when  they  are  expofed  to  the 
cold.  He  ufes  ceeonomy>  likewife,  in  the  confump- 
tion  of  his  wood.  Hence  he  keeps  himfelf  warm  in 
winter,  by  means  of  ftoves,  which  fave  an  imrnenfe 
deal  of  labour  to  himfelf  and  his  horfes,  in  cutting 
and  hawling  wood  in  cold  and  wet  weather.  His 
fences  are  every  where  repaired,  fo  as  to  fecure  his 
grain  from  his  own  and  his  neighbour's  cattle.  But 
further,  he  increafes  the  number  of  the  articles  of  his 
cultivation,  and,  inftead  of  raifing  corn,  wheat  and 
rye  alone,  he  raifes  oats,  buckwheat,  (the  fagopyrum 
of  Linnxus)  and  fpelts.  Near  his  houfe,  he  allots 
an  acre  or  two  of  ground  for  a  garden,  in  which  he 
raifes  a  large  quantity  of  cabbage  and  potatoes.  His 
newly  cleared  fields,  afford  him  every  year  a  large 
increafe  of  turnips.  Over  the  fpring  which  fupplies 


POPULATION,    &C.    IN    PENNSYLVANIA. 

him  with  water,  he  builds  a  milk-houfe  and  over  this, 
in  fome  inftances,  he  builds  a  fmoke  houfe  ;  he  likewife 
adds  to  the  number,  and  improves  the  quality  of  his 
fruit  trees : — His  fons  work  by  his  fide  all  the  year 
and  his  wife  and  daughters  forfake  the  dairy  and  the 
fjfmning  wheel,  to  (hare  with  him  in  the  toils  of  harveft- 
The  laft  objea  of  his  induftry  is  to  build  a  dwelling 
houfe.  This  bufmefs  is  fometimes  e  ffedted  in  the 
courfe  of  his  life,  but  is  oftener  bequeathed  to  his 
fon,  or  the  inheritor  of  his  plantation  :  and  hence  we 
have  a  common  faying  among  our  bed  farmers,  "  that 
"  a  fon  fhould  always  begin  where  his  father  left 
off;"  that  is,  he  ftiould  begin  his  improvements,  by 
bujlding  a  commodious  dwelling. houfe,  fuited  to  the 
improvements  and  value  of  the  plantation.  Thia 
dwelling-houfe  is  generally  built  of  ftone — it  is  large, 
convenient,  and  filled  with  ufeful  -and  fubftantial 
furniture— It  fometimes  Adjoins  the  houfe  of  the 
fecond  fettler,  but  1$  frequently  placed  at  a  little 
diftance  from  it.  The  horfes  and  cattle  of  this 
fpecie$  of  fettler,  bear  "marks  in  their  ftrength,  fat 
and  fruitfulnefs-rtof  their  being  plentifully  fed  and 
carefully  Hept,  His  table  abounds  with  a  variety  of 
the  beft  provisions — his  very  kitchen  flows  with 
milk  and  honey — beer,  cyder,  and  home  made  wine 
are  the  ufual  drinks  of  his  family  :  the  greateft  part 
of  the  cloathing  of  his  family  is  manufactured  by  his 
wife  and  daughters :  in  proportion  as  he  encreafes 
in  wealth,  he  values  the  protection  of  laws :  hence 


v  220  AN   ACCOUNT    OF    THE   PROGRESS    OF 

he  punctually  pays  his  taxes  toward^  the  fupport  of 
government.     Schools  and  churche*  likewife,  as  the 
means  of  promoting  order  and  happinefs    in  fociety, 
derive    a  due  fupport    from  him  :  for 'benevolence  ard 
public  fpirit,  as  to  tncTe    objects,  are  the  natural  qfi- 
•  fpring  of  affluence  and  independence.     Of  this  clafTOF 
fetrkrs  are  t\vu-:hirds  o'f  the  farmers  of  Pennfylvania. 
Thefe  are  the  men  to  whom  Pennfylvania  owes  her  an 
cient  fame  and  eonfequence.     If  they  pofTefs  lefs  re 
finement  than  their  fouthern  neighbours,  who  cultivate 
their  land  with.  Haves,  they  po  fiefs  more  republican  vir 
tue.     It  was  from  the  farms'  cultivated  by  thefe  men, 
that  the  Ame'rican  and  French  armies  were  chiefly  fed 
with  bread  during  the  late  revolution  ;  and  it  was  from 
'the  produce  of  thefe  farms,  that  thofe  millrbns  of  dollars 
were  obtained  from  the  ILivanna  after  the  year    178^ 
which  laid  the  foundation  of  the  bank  of  North  Ame 
rica,  ana  which  fed  and  -cloathed  the  American  army, 

till  the  peace  of  Paris. : This  is  n  fhort  account  of 

the  happinefs  of  a  Pennfylvania  former — To  this  happi 
nefs  our  (late  invites  men  of  every  religion  and  country. 

We  do  not  pretend  to  offer  emigrants  the  pleafurcs 
of  Arcadia — It  is  enough  if  affluence,  independence, 
and-  happinefs  are  enfured  to  patience,  induiiry,  and 
labour.  The  moderate  price  of  land,*  the  credit  which 

*  The  unoccupied  lands  art  fold  by  the  ft  ere  for  ahout  fix  guineas 
inclufive  of  all  charges,  per  hundred  acres.  But  as  rncih  of  the  lands 
that  are  ft..tied,  arc  procure  J  from  per  io:is  who  had  pur  chafed  them  from 
the  flate,  they  are  fold  to  the  firft  fettlcr  for  a  much  higher  price.  Tiic 


POPULATION,    &C.  IN    PENNSYLVANIA-  221 

arifes  from  prudence,  and  the  fafety  from  our  courts  of 
law,  of  every  fpecies  of  property,  render  the  bleffings 
which  I  have  defcribed,  objects  within  the  reach  of 
every  man. 

From  a  review  ef  the  three  different  fpecies  of  fet- 
tlers,  it  appears,  that  there  are  certain  regular  ftages 
which  mark  the  progrefs  from  the  fayage  to  civilized 
life.  The  firft  fettier  is  nearly  related  to  an  Indian  in 
his  manners — In  the  fecond,  the  Indian,  manners  are 
more  diluted  :  It  is  in  the  third  fpecies  of  fettlers 
only,  that  we  behold  civilization  completed — It  is 
to  the  third  fpecies  of  fettlers  only,  that  it  is  proper  to 
apply  the  term  of  farmers.  While  we  record  the  vices 
of  the  firft  and  fecond  fettlers,  it  is  but  juft  to  men 
tion  their  virtues  likewife. — Their  mutual  wants  pro 
duce  mutual  dependance :  hence  they  are  kind  and 

4 

quality  of  the  foil — its  vicinity  to  mills,  court-houfes,  places  of  wonliip, 
and  ntivigable  water :  the  diftance  of  land-carriage  to  the  fea-ports  of 
Philadelphia  or  Baltimore,  and  the  nature  of  the  roads,  all  influence'  the 
price  of  land  to  the  ftrft  fe'tler.  The  quantity  of  cleared  land,  and  the 
nature  of  the  improvements,  added  to  all  the  above  circumftarxes,  in 
fluence  the  price  of  farms  to  the  fecond  and  third  fettlers.  Hence  the 
price  of  land  to  the  firft  fettlers  is  from  a  quarter  of  a  guinea  to  two 
guineas  per  acre  :  and  the  price  of  farms  is  from  one  guinea  fo  ten 
guineas  per  acre,  to  the  fecond  and  third  fettlers,  according  as  the  land 
i-a  varied  by  the  before-mentioned  circumftances.  When  the  firft  -fettlcr 
h  unable  to  purchafe,  he  often  takes  a  trad  of  land  for  feven  years  on  a 
leafe,  and  contracts  inftead  of  paying  a  rent  in  caih,  to  clear  50  acres  of 
land,  to  build  a  log  cabbin,  and  a  barn,  and  to  plant  an  orchard  on  it. 
This  trail,  after  the  expiration  of  this  leafe,  fells  or  rents  for  a  confdcra- 
bl  c  pro-fit. 


222  IN    ACCOUNT   OF    THE   PROGRESS   OP 

friendly  to  each  other — their  folitary  fituation  make* 
vffitors  agreeable  to  them  ; — hence  they  are  hofpitable 
to  ftrangers  :  their  want  of  money,  (for  they  raife  but 
little  more  than  is  necefTary  to  fupport  their  families) 
has  made  it  neceflary  for  them  to  aflbciate  for  the  pur- 
pofes  of  building  houfes,  cutting  their  grain,  and  the 
like  : — This  they  do  in  turns  for  each  other,  without  any 
other  pay  than  the  pleafures  which  ufually  attend  a 
country  frolic — Perhaps  what  I  have  called  virtues  are 
rather  qualities,  arifing  from  necefllty,  and  the  peculiar 
ftate  of  fociety  in  which  thefe  people  live. — Virtue 

fhould,  in  all  cafes,  be  the  offspring  of  principle. 

* 

I  do  not  pretend  to  fay,  that  this  mode  of  fettling 
farms  in  Pennfylvania  is  uaiverfal— I  have  known 
fome  inftances  where  the  firft  fettler  has  performed 
the  improvements  of  the  fecond,  and  yielded  to  the 
third.  I  have  known  a  few  inftances  likewife,  of  men 
of  enterprizing  fpirits,  who  have  fettled  in  the  wil- 
dernefs,  and  who,  in  the  courfe  of  a  tingle  life,  have 
advanced  through  all  the  intermediate  ftages  of  inv 
provement  that  I  have  mentioned  and  produced  all 
thofe  conveniences  which  have  been  afcribed  to  the 
third  fpecies  of  fettlers ;  thereby  refemblmg,  in  their 
exploits,  not  only  the  pioneers  and  light-infantry, 
but  the  main  body  of  an  army.  There  are  inftances 
likewife,  where  the  firft  fettlement  has  been  improved 
by  the  fame  family,  in  hereditary  fucceflion,  *till  it 
has  reached  the  third  ftage  of  cultivation.  There 
are  many  fpacious  ftone  houfes  and  highly  cultivated 


POPULATION,    &C.    IN   PENNSYLVANIA. 

farms  in  the  neighbouring  counties  of  the  city  of 
Philadelphia,  which  are  pofleiTed  by  the  grandfons  and 
great- gran dfons  of  men  who  accompanied  William 
Penn  acrofs  the  ocean,  and  who  laid  the  foun 
dation  of  the  prefent  improvements  of  their  pofterity, 
in  fuch  cabbins  as  have  been  defcribed. 

This  paffion  for  migration  which  I  have  defcribed, 
will  appeir    ftrange  to  an  European.     To  fee   men 
turn  their   backs    upon    the    houfes    in   which  they 
drew  their  firft  breath — upon    the   church  in  which 
they  were  dedicated  to  God — upon  the  graves  of  their 
anceftors — upon  the  friends  and  companions  of  their 
youth — and    upon     all   the   pleafures   of    cultivated 
fociety,    and   expofmg  themfelves    to  all   the   hard- 
mips  and  accidents  of  fubduing  the  earth,  and  thereby 
eftablifhing  fettlements  in  a  wildernefs,  mud  ftrike  a 
philofopher   on  your  fide  the  water,  as  a  picture  of 
human    nature  that  runs  counter  to  the  ufual  habits 
and  principles  of  action  in  man.     But   this  paffion, 
ftrange    and  new  as  it  appears,  is  wifely   calculated 
for    the    extention  of  population    in   America :  and 
this  it  does,  not  only  by  promoting  the  increafe   of 
the   human   fpecies  in  new  fettlements,  but   in   the 
old  fettlements    likewife.     While  the  degrees  of  in- 
duftry  and  knowledge  in  agriculture,  in  our  country, 
are  proportioned  to  farms  of  from  75  to  300  acres, 
there  will  be   a  languor  in    population,  as    foon  at 
farmers  multiply  beyond  the  number  of  forms  of  tkc 


AN    ACCOUNT   OF    THE    PROGRESS    OF 

above  dimcnfions.  To  remove  this  languor,  which 
is  kept  up  alike  by  the  increafe  of  the  price,  and  the 
divifion  of  farms,  a  migration  of  part  of  the  com 
munity  becomes  absolutely  neceiTary.  And  as  this 
part  of  the  community  often  confiils  of  the  idle  and 
extravagant,  who  eat  without  working,  their  removal, 
by  increafing  the  facility  of  fubfiftence  to  the  frugal 
and  induftrious  who  remain  behind,  naturally  increafes 
the  number  of  people,  juft  as  the  cutting  off  the 
fuckers  of  an  apple-tree  increafes  the  fize  of  the  tree, 
and  the  quantity  of  fruit. 

I  have  only  to  add  upon  this  fubjeft,  that  the 
migrants  from  Pcnnfylvania  always  travel  to  the  fouth- 
ward.  The  foil  and  climate  of  the  weftern  parts  of 
Virginia,  North  and  South-Carolina,  and  Georgia, 
afford  a  more  eafy  fupport  to  lazy  farmers,  than  the 
fhubborn  but  durable  foil  of  Pennfylvania. — Here,  our 
ground  requires  deep  and  repeated  plowing  to  render 
it  fruitful — there,  Scratching  the  ground  once  or  twice 
affords  tolerable  crops.  In  Pennfylvania,  the  length 
and  coldnefs  of  the  winter  make  it  neceflary  for  the 
farmers  to  beftow  a  large  mare  of  their  labour  in  pro 
viding  for  and  feeding  their  cattle  ;  b«t  in  the  fouthern 
dates,  cattle  find  pafture  during  the  greateit  part  of 
the  winter,  in  the  fields  or  woods.  For  thefe  reafons, 
the  greeted  part  of  the  weftern  counties  of  the  States, 
that  have  been  mentioned,  are  fettled  by  original  in 
habitants  of  Pennfylvania.  During  the  late  war,  the 


POPULATION,    SCC.     IN   PENNSYLVANIA.  225 

militia  of  Orange  county,  in  North  Carolina,  were 
enrolled,  and  their  number  amounted  to  3,500,  *wry 
man  of  whom  had  migrated  from  Pennfylvania.  From 
this  you  will  fee,  that  our  State  is  the  great  outport 
of  the  United  States  for  Europeans ;  and  that,  after 
performing  the  office  of  a  fieve  by  detaining  all 
thofe  people  who  poflefs  the  (lamina  of  induflry  and 
virtue,  it  allows  a  paflage  to  the  reft,  to  thofe  States 
which  are  accommodated  to  their  habits  of  indolence. 

I  fhall  conclude  this  letter  by  remarking,  that  in 
the  mode  of  extending  population  and  agriculture, 
which  I  have  defcribed,  we  behold  a  new  fpecies  of 
war.  The  third  fettler  may  be  viewed  as  a  conqueror* 
The  weapons  with  which  he  atchieves  his  conquefls, 
are  the  implements  of  husbandry :  and  the  virtues  which 
direct  them,  are  induftry  and  ceconomy.  Idlenefs — 
extravagance — and  ignorance  fly  before  him.  Happy 
would  it  be  for  mankind,  if  the  kings  of  Europe 
would  adopt  this  mode  of  extending  their  territories  : 
it  would  foon  put  an  end  to  the  dreadful  connection, 
which  has  exifted  in  every  age,  between  war  and 
poverty,  and  between  conqueft  and  defolation. 
With  great  refpecT:, 

I   have  the  honor  to  be, 
SIR, 

Your  moil  obedient 
humble  fervant. 


AN    ACCOUNT    OF    THE    MANNERS    OF      THE    GERMAN 
INHABITANTS     OF        PENNSYLVANIA. 


THE  ftate  of  Pennfylvania  is  fo  much  in 
debted  for  her  profperity  and  reputation, 
to  the  German  part  of  her  citizens,  that  a  fliort 
account  of  their  manners  may,  perhaps,  be  ufeful 
and  agreeable  to  their  fellow  citizens  in  every  part 
of  the  United  States. 

The  aged  Germans,  and  the  anceftors  of  thofe  who 
are  young,  migrated  chiefly  from  the  Palatinate ;  from 
Alcace,  Swabis,  Saxony,  and  Switzerland  :  but  natives 
of  every  principality  and  dukedom,  in  Germany,  are 
to  be  ,  found  in  different  parts  of  the  ftate.  They 
brought  but  little  property  with  them.  A  few  pieces 
of  gold  or  filver  coin,  a  cheft  filled  with  clothes,  a 
bible,  and  a  prayer  or  an  hymn  book  conftituted  the 
whole  Hock  of  moft  of  them.  Many  of  them  bound 
themfelves,  or  one  or  more  of  their  children,  to  maf- 
ters  after  their  arrival,  for  four,  five,  or  feven  years, 
in  order  to  pay  for  their  paflages  acrofs  the  ocean. 
A  clergyman  always  accompanied  them  when  they 
came  in  large  bodies. 

The  principal  part  of  them  were  farmers ;  but 
there  were  many  mechanics,  who  brought  with 
them  a  knowledge  of  thofe  arts  which  are  necef- 


AN  ACCOUNT  OF  THE  GERMAN   INHABITANTS     &CC- 

fary  and  ufeful  in  all  countries.  Thefe  mechanics 
were  chiefly  weavers,  taylors,  tanners,  fhoemakers, 
comb-makers,  fmiths  of  all  kinds,  butchers,  paper- 
makers,  watch  makers,  and  fugar  bakers.  I  fhall 
begin  this  account  of  the  German  inhabitants  of 
Pennfylvania,  by  defcribing  the  manners  of  the 
German  farmers. 

This  body  of  citizens  are  not  only  induftriouf 
and  frugal,  but  fldlful  cultivators  of  the  earth.  I 
{hall  enumerate  a  few  particulars,  in  which  they 
differ  from  moft  of  the  other  farmers  of  Pennfyl 
vania. 

i  ft.  In  fettling  a  tra£r.  of  land,  they  always    pro-* 
vide  large  and  fuitable  accomodations  for  their  horfes 
and    cattle,    before    they  lay  out    much    money    in 
building    a  houfe  for   themfelves.        The  barn    and 
the  ftables  are  generally  under  one  roof,  and  contrived 
it*    fuch  a  manner  as  to  enable  them    to  feed  their 
horfes    and   cattle,  and   to    remove  their  dung,  with 
as  little  trouble  as  poflible.     The  firft  dwelling  houfe 
upon  this  farm  is  fmall,  and  built  of  logs.     It  gen 
erally  lafts  the  life  time  of  the  firft  fettler  of  a  tradl 
of  land  j    and   hence    they   have  a    faying,  that  "  a 
"  fon  mould  always  begin    his  improvements  where 
"  his  father  left  off/' — that  is,  by  building  a  large  and 
convenient  ftone  houfe. 

2d.    They  always  prefer   good  land    or    that  land 
on  which  there  is  a  large  quantity  of  meadow  ground. 


228  AN   ACCOUNT   OF    THE    GERMAN 

From  an  attention  to  the  cultivation  of  grafs,  they 
often  double  the  value  of  an  old  farm  in  a  few  years, 
and  grow  rich  on  farms,  on  which  their  predecerTors 
of  whom  they  purchafed  them,  have  nearly  ftarved. 
They  prefer  purchafmg  farms  with  fome  improvements 
to  fettling  on  a  new  trael:  of  land. 

3d.  In  clearing  new  land,  they  do  not  girdle  the 
trees  fimply,  and  leave  them  to  perifh  in  the  ground, 
as  is  the  cuflom  of  their  Englifh  or  Irifh  neighbours  ; 
but  they  generally  cut  them  down  and  burn  them. 
In  deflroying  under-wood  and  bufhes,  they  generally 
grub  them  out  of  the  ground  ;  by  which  means  a  field 
is  as  fit  for  cultivation  the  fecond  )»ear  after  it  is 
cleared,  as  it  is  in  twenty  years  afterwards.  The 
advantages  of  this  mode  of  clearing,  confift  in  tbe  im 
mediate  product  of  the  field,  and  in  the  greater  faci 
lity  with  which  it  is  ploughed,  harrowed  and  reaped. 
The  expenfe  of  repairing  a  plough,  which  is  often 
broken  two  or  three  times  in  a  year  by  fmall  flumps 
concealed  in  the  ground,  is  often  greater  than  the  ex 
traordinary  expenfe  of  grubbing  th£  fame  field  com 
pletely,  in  clearing  it. 

4th.  They  feed  their  horfes  and  ccw?:.  of  which 
they  keep  only  a  fmall  number,  in  fuch  a  manner, 
that  the  former  perform  twice  the  labour  of  thofe 
horfes,  and  the  latter  yield  twice  the  quantity  of 
milk  of  thofe  cows,  that  are  Icfs  plentifully  fed. 
There  is  great  ceconomy  in  this  practice,  efpeciajly 


INHABITANTS    OF    PENNSYLVANIA.  229 

in  a  country  where  fo  much  of  the  labour  of  a 
farmer  is  necefiary  to  fupport  his  domeftic  ani 
mals.  A  German  horfe  is  known  in  every  part 
of  the  ftate  :  indeed  he  feems  to  "  feel  with  his 
"  lord,  the  pleafure  arid  the  pride"  of  his  ex 
traordinary  fize  or  fat. 

5th.  The  fences  of  a  German  farm  are  generally 
high,  and  well  built;  fo  that  his  fields  feldom  fuf- 
fer  from  the  inroads  of  his  own  or  his  neighbours, 
horfes,  cattle,  hogs,  or  fheep. 

6th.  The  German  farmers  are  great  ceconomiils  ot 
their  wood.  Hence  they  burn  it  only  in  iloves,  in  which 
they  corifume  but  a  4th.  or  5th.  part  of  what  is  com 
monly  burnt  in  ordinary  open  fire  places :  befides, 
their  horfes  are  faved  by  means  of  this  ceconomy, 
from  that  immenfe  labour,  in  hauling  wood  in  the 
middle  pf  winter,  which  frequently  unfits  the  horfes 
of  their  neighbours  for  the  toils  pf  the  enfuing  fpring. 
Their  houfes  are,  moreover,  rendered  fo  comfortable, 
at  all  times,  by  large  clofe  floves,  that  twice  the 
bufmefs  is  done  by  every  branch  of  the  family,in  knh> 
ing,  fpinning,  and  mending  farming  utenfils,  that  is 
done  in  houfes  where  every  member  of  the  family- 
crouds  near  to  a  common  fire-place,  or  fhivers  at  a 
diftance  from  it, — with  hands  and  fingers  that  move, 
by  reafon  of  the  cold,  with  only  half  their  ufual  quick- 
ncfs. 


230  AX  ACCOUNT    OF  THE    GERTvlAN 

Tiicy  difcover  ccconomy  in  the  pvdu-vation  and  in- 
creafe  of  their  \\jod  in  feverai  other  ways.  They 
fomctimes  defend  it,  b ;  .ccs,  from  their  cattle  ; 

by  which  means  the  young  foreft  trees  are  fuftercd 
to  grow,  to  replace  thofj  tV.nt  are  cut  down  for  the 
necefiary  ufe  of  the  farm.  But  where  this  car  not  be 
conveniently  done,  they  furround  the  flump  of  that  tree 
which  is  mod  ufeful  for  fences,  viz.  the  chefnut,  with 
a  frnall  triangular  fence.  From  this  flump  a  number 
of  fuckers  moot  out  in  a  few  years,  two  or  three  of 
which  in  the  courfe  of  five  and  twenty  years,  grow 
into  trees  of  the  fame  fize  as  the  tree  from  whofc 
roots  they  derived  their  origin. 

7th.  They  keep  their  horfes  and  cattle  as  warm 
as  pofiible  in  winter,  by  which  means  they  fave  a 
great  deal  of  their  hay  and  grain  ;  for  thofe  animals 
when  cold,  eat  much  more  than  when  they  are  in  a 
more  comfortable  fit  nation. 

8th.  The  German  farmers  live  frugally  in  their 
families,  with  rcfpecl:  to  diet,  furniture  and  apparel. 
They  fell  their  mofl  profitable  grain,  which  is  wheat ; 
and  eat  that  which  is  lefs  profitable,  but  more  ncurim- 
ing,  that  is  rye  or  Indian  corn.  The  profit  to  a  farmer? 
from  this  fingle  article  of  ceconcrny,  is-  equal,  in  the 
.courfe  of  a  life  time,  to  the  price  of  a  farm  for 
one  of  his  children.  They  eat  fparingly  of  boiled 
animal  food,  with  large  quantities  of  vegetables, 
particularly  fallad,  turnips,  onions,  and  oubbage, 


INHAFITANTS    OF    PENNSYLVANIA.  23! 

the  laft  of  which  they  mike  into  four  crout.  They 
likewife  ufe  a  large  quantity  of  milk  and  cheefe 
in  their  diet.  Perhaps  the  Germans  do  not  propor 
tion  the  quantity  of  their  animal  food,  to  the  degrees 
of  their  labour;  hence  it  has  been  thought,  by  fome 
people,  that  they  decline  in  ftrength  fooner  than  their 
Engliih  or  Irifh  neighbours.  Very  few  of  them 
ever  ufe  diftilled  fpirits-  in  their  families:  their  com 
mon  drinks  are  cyder,  beer,  wine,  and  fimple  water. 
The  furniture  of  their  houfe  is  plain  and  ufciul. 
They  cover  themfeves  in  winter  with  light  feather 
beds  inftead  of  blankets :  in  this  contrivance  there  is 
both  convenience,  and  ceconomy,  for  the  beds  are 
warmer  than  blankets,  and  they  are  made  by  thern- 
felves.  The  apparel  of  the  German  farmers  is  u- 
fually  home  f pun.  When  they  ufe  European  articles 
of  drefs,  they  prefer  thofe  which  are  of  the  bell  qua 
lity,  and  of  the  higheft  price.  They  are  afraid  of 
debt,  and  feldom  purchafe  any  thing  without  paying 
cafli  for  it. 

pth.  The  German  farmers  have  large  or  profitable 
gardens  near  their  houfes.  Tlitfe  contain  little  elfe  but 
ufeful  vegetables.  Penrifylvania  is  indebted  to  the  Ger 
mans  for  the  principal  part  of  her  knowledge  in  hor 
ticulture.  There  was  a  time  when  turnips  and  cabbage 
were  the  principal  vegetables  that  were  ufed  in  diet  by 
the  citizens  of  Philadelphia.  This  will  not  furprife 
thofe  perfons,  who  know  that  the  firft  Englifli  fettlers 
in  Pc-nnfylvania  left  England  while  horticulture  was  ia 


"532  AN    ACCOUNT   OF  THE    GERMAN 

its  infancy  in  that  country.  It  was  not  till  the  reigrt 
of  William  III.  that  this  ufcful  and  agreeable  art  was 

o 

cultivated  by  the  Englifh  nation.  Since  the  fettlement 
of  a  number  of  German  gardeners  in  the  neighbour 
hood  of  Philadelphia,  the  tables  of  all  clafles  of  citizens 
have  been  covered  with  a  variety  of  vegetables,  in 
every  feafon  6f  the  year ;  and  to  the  ufe  of  thefe 
vegetables,  in  diet,  may  be  afcribed  the  general  exemp 
tion  of  the  citizens  of  Philadelphia  from  difeafes 
of  the  fkin. 

icth.  The  Germans  fddom  foremen  to  work  upon 
their  farms.  The  feeblenefs  of  that  authority  which 
matters  poflefses  over  hired  fervants,  is  fuch  that  their 
•wages  are  feldom  procured  from  their  labour,  except 
in  harvefl,  when  they  work  in  the  prefence  of  their 
mailers.  The  wives  and  daughters  of  the  German 
farmers  frequently  forfake,  for  a  while,  their  dairy  and 
fpinning- wheel,  and  join  their  hulbands  and  brothers  in 
the  labour  of  cutting  down,  collecting  and  bringing 
home  the  fruits  of  their  fields  and  orchards  The  work 
of  the  gardens  is  generally  done  by  the  women  of  the 
family. 

nth,  A  large  and  ftrong  waggon  covered  with 
linen  cloth,  is  an  efTential  part  of  the  furniture  of  a 
German  farm.  In  this  waggon,  drawn  by  four  or 
five  large  horfes  of  a  peculiar  breed:  they  convey  to 
market  over  the  roughed  roads,  between  2  or  3  thou- 

fand  pounds  weight  of  the  produce  of  their  farms.     In 

' 


INHABITANTS  OF  PENNSYLVANIA,  233 

the  months  of  September  and  October,  it  is  no  uncom 
mon  thing,  on  the  Lancafter  and  Reading  roads,  to 
meet  in  one  day  from  fifty  to  an  hundred  of  thefe  w.ig- 
gons,  on  their  way  to  Philadelphia,  mod  of  which  be 
long  to  German  farmers, 

1 2th.  The  favourable  influence  of  agriculture,  as 
conducted  by  the  Germans  in  extending  human  hap- 
pincfs*  is  manifefted  by  the  joy  they  exprefs  upon  the 
birth  of  a  child.  No  dread  of  poverty,  nor  diftruft  of 
Providence  from  an  encreafmg  family,  deprefs  the 
fpirits  of  thefe  induftrious  and  frugal  people.  Upoa 
the  birth  of  a  fon,  they  exult  in  the  gift  of  a  ploughman 
or  a  waggoner ;  and  upon  the  birth  of  a  daughter,  they 
rejoice  in  the  addition  of  another  fpinfter,  or  milkmaid 
to  their  family,  Happy  ftate  of  human  fociety  !  what 
bleflings  can  civilization  confer,  that  can  atone  for  the 
extinction  of  the  ancient  and  patriarchal  pleafure  of 
raifing  up  a  numerous  and  healthy  family  of  children, 
to  labour  for  their  parents,  for  themfelves,  and  for  their 
country ;  and  finally  to  partake  of  the  knowledge  andhap- 
pincfs  which  are  annexed  to  exiftence  !  The  joy  of  pa 
rents  upon  the  birth  of  a  child  is  the  grateful  echo  of 
creating  goodnefs.  May  the  mountains  of  Pennfylvania 
be  for  ever  vocal,  with  fongs  of  joy  upon  thefe 
cecafions  !  They  will  be  the  infallible  figns  of  inno 
cence,  induftry,  wealth  and  happinefs  in  the  ftate. 

1 3th.    The  Germans  take   great  pains  to    produce, 
in   their  children,  not  only  habits  of  labour,  but  a  love 
Hh 


234  AN    ACCOUNT   OF    THE  GERMAN 

of  it.  In  this  they  fubmit  to  the  irreverfible  fcntcnce 
infli&ed  upon  man,  in  fuch  a  manner,  as  to  convert 
the  wrath  of  heaven  into  private  and  public  happinefs. 
"  To  fear  God,  and  to  love  work,"  are  the  firft  leflons 
they  teach  their  children.  They  prefer  induftrious  ha^ 
bits  to  money  itfelf  ;  hence,  when  a  young  man  alks 
the  confent  of  his  father  to  marry  the  girl  of  his  choice, 
he  does  not  enquire  fo  much  whether  me  be  rich  or 
poor  ?  or  whether  (he  porTefses  any  perfonal  or  mental 
accomplishments — as  whether  me  be  indufhious,  and 
acquainted  with  the  duties  of  a  good  houfe-wife  ? 

1 4th.  The  Germans  fetagreat  value  upon  patrimo 
nial  property.  This  ufeful  principle  in  human  nature 
prevents  much  folly  and  vice  in  young  people.  It 
moreover  leads  to  lading  and  extenfive  advantages,  in 
the  improvement  of  a  farm  ;  for  what  inducement  can 
be  ftronger  in  a  parent  to  plant  an  orchard,  to  preferve 
forefl-trees  or  to  build  a  commodious  and  durable 
houfe,  than  the  idea,  that  they  will  all  be  poflefsed  by  a 
fuccefiion  of  generations,  who  (hall  inherit  his  blood  and 
name. 

1 5th.  The  German  farmers  are  very  much  influenc 
ed  in  planting  and  pruning  trees,  alfo  in  fowing  and 
reaping,  by  the  age  and  appearances  of  the  moon. 
This  attention  to  the  ftate  of  the  moon  has  been  afcribed 
to  fuperflltion  j  but  if  the  facts  related  by  Mr.  Wilfon 
in  his  obfervations  upon  climates  are  true,  part  of  their 
fuccefs  in  agriculture  rnuft  be  afcribed  to  their  being 
fo  much  influenced  by  it. 


INHABITANTS    OF  PENNSYLVANIA.  235 

1 6th.  From  the  hiftory  that  has  been  given  of  the 
German  agriculture,  it  will  hardly  be  neceffary  to  add 
that  a  German  farm  may  be  diilinguimedfrom  the  farms 
of  the  other  citizens  of  the  ftate,  by  the  fuperior  fize 
of  their  barns ;  the  plain,  but  compact  form  of  their 
houfes-,  the  height  of  their  enclofures;  the  extent  of 
their  orchards;  the  fertility  of  their  fields;  the  luxuri 
ance  of  their  meadows,  and  a  general  appearance  of 
plenty  and  neatnefs  in  everything  that  belongs  to  them. 

The  German  mechanic  poflefles  fome  of  the  traits 
of  the  character  that  has  been  drawn  of  the  German 
farmer.  His  firft  object  is  to  beqome  a  freeholder  ; 
and  hence  we  find  few  of  them  live  in  rented  houfes. 
The  higheit  compliment  that  can  be  paid  to  them  on 
entering  their  houfes  is  to  afk  them,  "  is  this  houfe 
your  own."  They  are  induftrious,  frugal,  punctual 
and  juft.  Since  their  fettlement  in  Pennfylvania, 
many  of  them  have  acquired  a  knowledge  of  thofe 
mechanical  arts,  which  are  more  immediately  necefla- 
ry  and  ufeful  in  a  new  country  -,  while  they  continue 
at  the  fame  time,  to  carry  on  the  arts  they  impor 
ted  from  Germany,  with  vigour  and  fuccefs. 

But  the  genius  of  the  Germans  of  Pennfylvania,  is 
not  confined  to  agriculture  and  the  mechanical  arts. 
Many  of  them  have  acquired  great  wealth  by  foreign 
and  domeftic  commerce.  As  merchants  they  arc  can 
did  and  punctual.  The  bank  of  North  America  has 
witnefled,  from  its  firft  inflitution,  their  fidelity  to  all 
their  pecuniary  engagements. 


236  AN    ACCOUNT    OF    THE  GERMAN 

Thus  far  have  I  defcribc-d  the  iiwlvidiial  character  of 
fcvcral  orders  of  the  German  citizens  of  Pennfylvania. 
I  fhail   now   take    notice  of  fomc  of  their  manners   in 
a  collective  capacity.     All  the    different  fe&s  among 
them    are   particularly  attentive  to  the  religious  educa- 
cation  of  their  children,  and  to  the  eftablimment  and 
fupport  of  the    chriilian    religion.     For    this  purpofc 
they  fettle  as  much  as  poffible  together — and  make  the 
eredtion  of  a  fchool   noufe  and   a  place  of  worfhip  the 
firft    object   of  their   care.     They  commit   the  educa 
tion  and  mftru&ion  of  their   children  in    a  peculiar 
manner  to  the  miniitcrs  and  officers  of  their  churches  ; 
— hence  they  grow  up  with  prejudices  in  favour  of  pub 
lic   worfhip,   and     of  the   obligations    of  chriftianity. 
Such  has   been    the    influence     of  a  pious  education 
among  the    German  Lutherans  in  Pennfylvania,  that 
in  the  courfe    of   nineteen    years,  only  one  of  them 
has  ever  been  brought  to  a  place  of  public  fhamc  on 
puiiifhment. 

As  members  of  civil  government,  the  Germans 
are  }•- .  ',-able — and  exacl:  in  the  payment  of  their  tax 
es.  iSiuce  trny  have  participated  iii  the  power  of 
the  ftatc,  many  of  them  have  become  fenfible  and 
enlightened  in  the  fciencc  cf  legiflation.  Pennfylvania 
has  h?.d  the  fpeaktr's  chair  of  her  aflenlbly,  and 
the  vice-prcucknt's  oiEce  of  her  council,  filled  with 
dignity  by  gcntleirien  of  German  families.  The  fame 
gentlemen  have  fince  been  advanced  to  feats  in  tho 
houfe  of  rcprefentatives,  under  the  new  conflitution 


INHABITANTS    O?  PENNSYLVANIA.  237 

of  the  United  States.  In  the  great  contro-verfy  about 
the  national  government,  a  large  majority  of  the 
Germans  in  Permfylvania  decided  in  favour  of  its 
adoption,  notwithflanding  the  mo-fc  popular  arts  were 
ufed  to  prejudice  them  againll  it. 

The  Germans  are  but    little  addicted  to   convivial 
pleafufes. 

• 
They  feldom  meet  for  the  fimple  purpofe  of  eating 

and  drinking  in  what  are  juilly  called  "  feeding 
"  parties"  ;  but  they  are  not  Grangers  to  the  virtue 
of  hofpitality. — The  hungry  or  benighted  traveller, 
is  always  fure  to  find  a  hearty  welcome  under  their 
roofs.  A  gentleman  of  Irifli  extraction,  who  loft 
his  way  in  travelling  through  Lancaiter  county, 
called  late  at  night  at  the  door  of  a  German  farmer. 
He  was  kindly  received  and  entertained  "with  the 
befl  cf  every  thing  the  houfe  afforded.  The  next 
morning,  he  offered  to  pay  his  hofl  for  his  lodging, 
and  other  accommodations:  "No"  fi;id  the  frit ndly 
German,  in  broken  Engliih — c<  I' -will  take  nothing 
t<  from  you.  I  was  once  loft,  and  entertained,  as 
«<  you  have  been, -at  the  houfe  of  a  ftranger  who 
<;  would  take  no  pay  from  me  for  his  trouble.  I 
"  am  therefore  now  only  difcharging  that  debt : — • 
"  do  you  pay  your  debt  to  me  in  the  fame  way 
<<  to  fornebody  clfe/' — 

They  are  extremely  kind  and  friendly  as  neighbours. 
They    often    aflift  each  other   by  loans  of  money  for 


23S  AN    ACCOUNT    OF    THE    GERMAN' 

a  fhort  time,  without  intereft,  when  the  purchafe 
of  a  plantation  makes  a  larger  fum  neceflary  than  is 
commonly  polTefsed  by  a  finale  farmer.  To  fccure 
their  confidence,  it  is  neceffary  to  be  punctual.  They 
never  lend  money  a  fecond  time,  to  a  man  who  has 
once  difappointed  them  in  paying  what  he  had  bor 
rowed  agreeably  to  his  promife  or  obligation.  It 
was  remarked,  during  the  late  war,  that  there  were 
very  few  inftances  of  any  of  them  difch?rging  a  bond, 
or  a  debt,  with  depreciated  paper  money. 

It  has  been  laid,  that  the  Germans  are  deficient  in 
learning ;  and  that  in  confequence  of  their  want  of 
more  general  and  extenfive  education,  they  are 
much  addicted  to  fuperftition,  and  are  frequently 
impofed  upon  in  the  management  of  their  affairs. 
Many  of  them  have  loft  valuable  eflates  by  being 
unacquainted  with  the  common  forms  of  law,  in  the 
moll  iimple  transactions;  and  many  more  of  them 
have  loft  their  lives,  by  applying  to  quacks  in  fick- 
ncfs  :  but  this  objection  to  the  Germans  will  foon 
ceafe  to  have  any  foundation  in  Pennfylvania.  Seve 
ral  young  men,  bom  of  German  parents,  have  been 
educated  in  law,  phyfic  and  divinity,  who  have  de- 
monftrated  by  their  abilities  and  knowledge,  that  the 
German  genius  for  literature  has  not  depreciated  in 
America.  A  college  has  lately  been  founded  by  the 
(late  in  Lancafter,f  and  committed  chiefly  to  the  care 

f  This  college  is  called  after  Dr.  FRANKM*,  v; ho  was  prcfidcnt 
•f  the  Rate  at  the  time  it  was  founded,  a:id  who  contributed  very  liberally 
to  ks  funds. 


INHABITANTS  OT  PENNSYLVANIA 


of  the  Germans  of  all  feels,  for  the  purpofe  of  diffu* 
fmg  learning  among  their  children.  In  this  college 
they  are  to  be  taught  the  German  and  Englifh  lan 
guages,  and  all  thofe  branches  of  literature  which  are 
ufually  taught  in  the  colleges  of  Europe  and  America. 
The  principal  of  this  college  is  a  native  of  Pennfylvania, 
of  German  parentage.*  His  extenfive  knowledge  and 
tafte  in  the  arts  and  fciences,  joined  with  his  induftry 
in  the  difcharge  of  the  duties  of  his  ftation,  have 
afforded  to  the  friends  of  learning  in  Pennfylvania,  the 
mod  flattering  profpedls  of  the  future  Importance  and 
ufefulnefs  of  this  inftitution, 

Both  fexes  of  the  Germans  difcover  a  flrong  propen- 
fity  to  vocal  and  inftrumental  mufic.  They  excel,  in 
pfalmody,  all  the  other  religious  focieties  in  the  flare. 

The  freedom  and  toleration  of  the  government  has 
produced  a  variety  of  feels,  among  the  Germans  in 
Pennfylvania.  The  Lutherans  compofe  a  great  propor 
tion  of  the  German  citizens  of  the  (late.  Many  of  their 
churches  are  large  and  fplendid.  The  German  Prefbyte- 
rians  are  the  next  to  them  in  numbers.  Their  churches 
are  likewife  large  and  furnifhed,  in  many  places,  with 
organs.  The  clergy,  belonging  to  thefe  churches,  have 
moderate  falaries,  but  they  are  punctually  and  juftly 
paid.  In  the  country  they  have  glebes  which  are  ftocke-j 
and  occafionaUy  worked  by  their  congregations.  Thtf 

*  The  Reverend  Dr.  Kenry   Muhlenberj, 


AN     ACCOUNT   01-    THE    GERMAN 

e\ira  expences  of  their  minifters,  in  all  their  excurfioni 

to  their  cccleftaftical  meetings,    arc  borne  by  their  ref- 

\u  congregations.      By  this  means  the  discipline 

and  general    mterefts  of   their  churches   are  preferred 

snd  p^omotsd.     The  German  Lutherans  and   Prefby- 

terians  live  in  mony  with  each  other,  infornuch 

that  they  often  preach  in  each  ether's  churches,  and  in 

fome  inilances    unite    in   building  a  church,  in   which 

l -icy  both  woiihip  at  different    times.     This  harmony 

•en   two  feels,  one  fo   much     oppofcd    to    each 

•,  \6  owing  to  the  relaxation  of  the  Prcfbyterians  in 

ibrr-e  of  the  peculiar  doctrines  of  Calvamfm.     I   have 

;  them  Prefbvterians,  becaufe  tnoft  oftliem  obje6t 

::ig  defignated  by  the  name  of  CilvanifU.     The 

TJenonilts,  the  Moravians,  tjie  Swingfielders,  and    the 

Catholics,  compofc  the  other  feels  of  the  German  inha- 

ts   of    Pennfyivania.       The    Menonifts  hold  war 

tnd  oAtlis  to  be  unlawful-.     They  admit  the  facraments 

ofbaptifm,  by  fprinUixg,  and  the  fupper.    From  them  a 

'as  arifen,  who  hold,  with  the  above  principles  and 

ceremonies,  the  neceifity  of  imtoerfion  baptifm  ;  hence 

.re  called    Dutikers 9   or    Baptifts.     Previoufly  to 

tlieir   partaking   of  the  facrament  of  die  fupper,   they 

'(  c  tli.v's    feet,  and  fit    down   to  a  love-fealt. 

-.cmonies  of  their  religion  with 

humility  and  Solemnity.     They,    morc-oyer,  hold 

'   <:>•;;::;  of    u         .  "  .       :  .        l;n-m   this  Iccl 

•  .!:rs,  one  of  w  /otcd 

-..:tuui  celibacy.     '  :>«ve  ex!::bited 


INHABITANTS   OF    PENNSYLVANIA.  241 

for  many  yjars,  a  curious  fpectacle  of  pious  mortifica 
tion,  at  a  village  called  Ephrata,  in  Lancaster  county  ^ 
They  are  at  prefent  reduced  to  fourteen  or  fifteen 
members.  The  Separatlfts  who  likewife  diflented  from 
the  Dunkers,  reject  the  ordinances  of  baptifm  and  the 
facrament;  and  hold  the  doctrine  of  the  Friends,  con 
cerning  the  internal  revelation  of  the  gofpel.  They 
hold,  with  the  Dunkers,  the  doctrine  of  univerfal  fal- 
vation.  The  fingular  piety,  and  exemplary  morality  c£ 
thefe  fects,  have  been  urged,  by  the  advocates  for  the 
falvation  of  all  mankind,  as  a  proof  that  the  belief  of 
that  doctrine  is  not  fo  unfriendly  to  morals,  and  the 
order  of  fociety,  as  has  been  fuppofed.  The  Dunkers 
and  Separatifts  agree  in  taking  no  intereft  upon 
money,  and  in  not  applying  to  law  to  recover  their 
debts. 

The  German  Moravians  are  a  numerous  and  refpec* 
table  body  of  chriftians  in  Pennfylvania.  In  thei  r 
village  of  Bethlehem,  there  are  two  large  ftone  buildings, 
in  which  the  different  fexes  are  educated  in  habits  of 
induflry  in  ufeful  manufactures.  The  lifters  (for  by 
that  epifhet  the  women  are  called)  all  ileep  in  two 
large  and  neat  apartments.  Two  of  them  watch  over 
the  reft,  in  turns,  every  night,  to  afford  relief  from 
thofe  fudden  indifpofitions  which  fometimes  occur,  in 
the  moft  healthy  perfons,  in  the  hours  of  ileep.  It 
is  impoflible  to  record  this  fact,  without  paufing  a 
moment  to  do  homage  to  that  religion,  which  pro- 

0 

II 


242  AN  ACCOUNT   OF  ¥&E 

duces  fo  much  union  and  kindriefs  in  human  fouls* 
The  number  of  women,  who  belong  to  this  fequeft- 
ered  female  fociety,  amounts  fometimes  to  120,  and 
feldom  to  lefs  than  100.  It  is  remarkable  that  not- 
withftanding  they  lead  a  fedentary  life,  and  fet  con- 
ftantly  in  clofe  ftove-rooms  in  winter,  that  not  more 
than  one  of  them,  upon  an  average,  dies  in  a  year. 
The  difeafe  which  generally  produces  this  annual 
death,  is  the  confumptioH.  The  conditions  and  ages 
of  the  women  of  the  village,  as  well  as  of  the  fociety 
that  has  been  mentioned,  are.diftinguifhed  by  ribbons 
of  a  peculiar  kind  which  they  wear  on  their  caps : 
the  widows,  by  white  j  the  married  women,  by  blue; 
the  fmgle  women,  above  1 8  years  of  age,  by  pink ; 
and  thofe  under  that  age,  by  a  ribbon  of  a  cinnamon 
colour.  Formerly  this  body  of  Moravians  held  all 
their  property  in  common  in  imitation  of  the  primi 
tive  chriftians;  but,  in  the  year  1760,  a  divifion.  of 
the  whole  of  it  took  place,  except  a  tavern,  a  tan-yard, 
2000  acres  of  land  near  Bethlehem,  and  5000  acres 
near  Nazareth,  a  village  in  the  neigbourhood  of 
Bethlehem.  The  profits  of  thefe  eftates  are  appropri 
ated  to  the  fupport  and  propagation  of  the  gofpel. 
There  are  many  valuable  manufactures  carried  on  at 
Bethlehem.  The  inhabitants  poflefs  a  gentlenefs  in 
their  manners,  which  is  peculiarly  agreeable  to  flrangers. 
They  inure  their  children,  of  five  and  fix  years  old,  to 
habits  of  early  induftry.  By  this  means  they  are  not 
only  taught  thofe  kinds  of  labor  which ,are  fuited  to 


INHABITANTS    OF    PENNSYLVANIA.  243 

their  fire ngth  and  capacities,  but  are  preferved  from 
many  of  the  hurtful  vices  .and  accidents  to  .which 
children  are  qxpofed. 

The  Swing-fielders  are  a  fmall  fociety.  They  hole! 
the  fame  principles  as  tile  'Friends,  buf  they  differ 
from  them  in  ufing  pfalmbdy  in  their  wbrlhtp. 

The  German  Catholics  are  numerous  in  Philadelphia, 
and  have  fever  alfmali  chapels  in  other  parts  of  the 
ftate.. 

There  is  '  an  mcorpbrate'd.  charitable ""•  fociety  -of 
Germans  in  Philadelphia^  whofc  objects  are •'-•  their 
poor  and  diftreffed  countrymen. 

There  is  likewife  a  German  fociety  of  labourers 
and  journeymen  mechanics,  who  contribute  2s.  6d. 
eight  times  a  year,  towards  a  fund,  out  of  which  they 
allow  302.  a  week  to  each  other's  families,  when  the 
head  of  it  is  unable  to  work;  and  7!.  ios  to  •  his- 
widow,  as  foon  as  he  is  taken  from  his  family  by 
death. 

The  Germans  of  Pennfylvania,  including  all  the  fe6ls 
that  have  been  mentioned,  compofe  nearly  one  third 
part  of  the  whole  inhabitants  of  the  ftate. 

The  intercourfe  of  the  Germans  with  each  other, 
is  kept  up  chiefly  in  their  own  .language  ;  but  moft 
of  their  men,  who  vifit  the  capital,  and  the  trading 
or  country  towns  of  the  ftate,  fpeak  the  Englifh  Ian- 


244  AN    ACCOUNT   OF  THE    GERMAN 

guage.  A  certain  number  of  the  laws  of  the  flate 
are  now  printed  in  German,  for  the  benefit  of  thofc 
of  them  who  cannot  read  Englifh.  A  large  numbcF 
of  German  news-papers  are  likewife  circulated  through 
the  flute,  through  which  knowledge  and  intelligence 
have  been  conveyed,  much  to  the  advantage  of  the  go 
vernment.  There  is  fcarcely  an  inftance  of  a  German, 
of  either  fex,  in  Pennfylvr.nia,  that  cannot  read\  but 
many  of  the  wives  and  daughters  of  the  German  far 
mers  cannot  write.  The  prefent  {late  of  fociety  among 
them  renders  this  accomplifhment  of  little  confequence 
to  their  improvement  or  happinefs. 

If  it  were  pofiible  to  determine  the  amount  of  all 
the  property  brought  into  Pennfylvania  by  the  prefent 
German  inhabitants  of  the  flate,.  and  their  anceflors, 
and  then  compare  it  with  the  prefent  amount  of  their 
property,  the  contrail  would  form  fuch  a  monument 
of  human  induftry  and  (economy  as  has  feldom  been 
contemplated  in  any  age  or  country. 

I  have  been  informed  that  there  was. -an  ancient 
prophecy  which  foretold,  that  "  God  would  blels 
«<  the  Germans  in  foreign  countries."  This  predic 
tion  has  been  faithfully  verified  in  Pennfylvania. 
They  enjoy  here  every  blefling  that  liberty,  toleration, 
independence,  affluence,  virtue  and  reputation,  can 
confer  upon  them. 

How  different  is  their  fituation  here  ;  from  what 
it  was  in  Germany  !  Cculd  the  fubjecls  of  the  princct 


INHABITANTS  OF  PENNSYLVANIA.  245 

of  Germany,  who  now  groan  away  their  lives  in 
flavery  and  unprofitable  labour,  view  fr@m  an  emi 
nence,  in  the  month  of  June,  the  German  fettlements 
of  Stratfburg,  or  Manheim  in  Lancafter  county,  or  of 
Lebanon  or  Bethlehem  in  the  counties  of  Dauphin 
and  Northampton  ;  could  they  be  accompanied  on  this 
eminence,  by  a  venerable  German  farmer,  and  be 
told  by  him  that  many  of  thofe  extenfive  fields  of 
grain,  full-fed  herds,  luxuriant  meadows,  orchards, 
promifmg  loads  of  fruit,  together  with  the  fpacious 
barns — and  commodious  {lone-dwelling  houfes,  which 
compofe  the  profpe&s  that  have  been  mentioned, 
were  all  the  product  of  the  labour  of  a  fingle  fa 
mily,  and  of  one  generation  ;  and  that  they  were  all 
fecured  to  the  owners  of  them  by  certain  laws  j  I 
am  per  funded,  that  no  chains  would  be  able  to  detain 
them  from  fliaring  in  the  freedom  of  their  Pennfyl- 
vania  friends  and  former  fellow-fubje&s.  "  We 
will  affert  our  dignity — (would  be  their  language) 
we  will  be  men — we  will  be  free — we  will  enjoy 
the  fruits  of  our  own  labours — we  will  no  longer 
be  bought  and  fold  to  fight  battles — in  which  we 
have  neither  intereft  nor  refentment — we  will  inherit 
a  portion  of  that  blefiing  which  God  has  promifed 
to  the  Germans  in  foreign  countries — we  will  be 
Pennfylvanians." 

I  mail  conclude  this  account  of  the    manners  of 
the   German  inhabitants  of  Peimfylvania  by  remark- 


±4  AN    ACCOUNT    OF  .THE    GERMAN 

ing  that' if- 1  have  failed  in  doing  them  juftice,  it  has 
not  been  the  fault  of  my  fubject.  The.- German 
character  once  employed  the  pen  of  one  of  t;he  firft 
Eiitoiians  of  antiquity.  I  mean  the  elegant  and 
enlightened  Tacitus.  It  is:very  remarkable  that  the 
Germans  in  Pennfylyania  retain  in  a  great  degree 
all  the  virtues,  which  this  author  afcribes  to  their 
anceftors  in  his  treatiie  "  de  msribus  Germanontm" • — 
They  inherit  their  integrity— fidelity — and  chaftity— 
but  chriftianity  has  banimed  from  them,,  their  drun- 
hcnnefs,  idlenefs,  and  love  of  military  glory.  There 
is  a  fingular  trait  in  the  features  of  the  German 
character  in  Pennfyivania,  which  {hews  how 
long  the  moft  trifling  cultoms  may  exifl  among  a 
people  who  have  not  been  mixed  with  other  nations. 
Tacitus  defcribes  the  manner  in  which  the  ancient 
Germans  build  their  villages  in  the  following  words. 
"  Sifam  quifqitc  domum '  fpaliis  circumdat  foe  adverfus 
eafus  ignis  remedtum\  five  infc'tiia  adijicandi"\  IMany 
of  the  German  villages  in  Pennfyivania  are  conflruc- 
ted  in  the  fame  manner.  The  fmall  houfes  are  com- 
j>ofed  of  a  mixture,  of  wood,  brick  and  clay,  neatly 
united  together.  The  large  houfes  are  built  of  ftone, 
and  many  of  them  after  the  Englifh  f^ifliion.  Very  few 
of  the  houfes  in  Germantown  are  connected  together. 
— Where  the  Germans  connect  their  houfes  in  their 

-f-  Each  man  leaves  a  fpacs    between  his  houfe,  a.id  thofa  of  his  neigh 
bours,  ei:hcr  to  uvjid  the  danger   f/om    fire,  or  from  unikilfulnifii  in 


INHABITANTS  OF  PENNSYLVANIA. 

villages,    they  appear  to  have  deviated  from   one  of 
the  cuftoms  they  imported  from    Germany. 

CITIZENS  of  the  United  States  learn  from  the 
account  that  has  been  given  of  the  German  inhabitants 
of  Pennfylvania,  to  prize  knowledge  and  in duftry  in 
agriculture  and  manufactures,  as  the  bafis  of  domeftic 
happinefs  and  national  profperity. 

LEGISLATORS  of  the  United  States,  learn  from  the 
wealth,  and  independence  of  the  German  inhabitants 
of  Pennfylvania,  to  encourage  by  your  example,  and 
laws,  the  republican  virtues  of  induftry  and  economy. 
They  are  the  only  pillars  which  can  fupport  the  prefent 
conftitution  of  the  United  States. 

LEGISLATORS  of  Pennfylvania, — learn  from  the 
hiftory  of  your  German  fellow  citizens  that  you  pof- 
fefs  an  inexhauftible  treafure  in  the  bofom  of  the 
ftate,  in  their  manners  and  arts.  Continue  to  patro 
nize  their  newly  eflablifhed  feminary  of  learning 
and  fpare  no  expenfe  in  fupporting  their  public 
free-fchools.  The  vices  which  follow  the  want 
of  religious  inftruftion,  among  the  children  of  poor 
people,  lay  the  foundation  of  mod  of  the  jails,  and 
places  of  public  punifhment  in  the  ftate.  Do  not 
contend  with  their  prejudices  in  favour  of  their 
language.  It  will  be  the  channel  through  which 
the  knowledge  and  difcoveries  of  one  of  the  wifeft 
nations  in  Europe,  may  be  conveyed  into  our  conn- 


AN    ACCOUNT   O£    THE     GERMAN 

try.  In  proportion  as  they  arc  inflru&ed  and  en 
lightened  in  their  own  language,  they  will  become 
acquainted  with  the  language  of  the  United  States. 
Invite  them  to  mare  in  the  power  and  offices  of  go 
vernment  :  it  will  be  the  means  of  producing  an 
Union  in  principle  and  conduct  between  them,  "and 
thofe  of  their  enlightened  fellow-citizens  who  arc 
defcended  from  other  nations.  Above  all,  cherifh 
with  peculiar  tendernefs,  thofe  fefts  among  them  who 
hold  war  to  be  unlawful. — Relieve  them  from  the 
oppreflion  of  abfurd  and  unneceflary  militia  laws. 
Protect  them  as  the  repofitories  of  a  truth  of  the 
gofpel,  which  has  exifted  in  every  age  of  the  church, 
and  which  muft  fpread  hereafter  over  every  part  of  the 
world. 

The  opinions  refpefting  the  commerce  and  flavery 
of  the  Africans,  which  have  nearly  produced  a  revo 
lution  in  their  favour,  in  fome  of  the  European  go 
vernments,  were  tranfplanted  from  a  feel  of  chriftians 
in  Pennfylvania.  Perhaps  thofe  German  fecis  of 
chriftians  among  us,  who  refufe  to  bear  arms  for  the 
purpofe  of  fhedding  hum?n  blood,  may  be  preferred  by 
divine  providence,  as  the  centre  of  a  circle,  which  mall 
gradually  embrace  all  the  nations  of  the  earth  in  a  per 
petual  treaty  of  friend fhip  and  peace. 


THOUGHTS  ON  COMMON  SENSE. 


THE  human  mind  in  common  with  other  branches  of 
philosophy,  has  become  the  subject  of  attention  in  the 
present  age  of  free  and  general  enquiry.  While  new  facul 
ties  are  discovering  in  it,  it  will  conduce  equal  to  our  acquir 
ing  a  perfect  knowledge  of  its  powers,  to  detect  and  remove 
such  supposed  faculties  as  do  not  belong  to  it. 

I  have  long  suspected  the  term  common  sense  to  be  applied 
improperly  to  designate  a  faculty  of  the  mind.  I  shall  not  re 
peat  the  accounts  which  have  been  given  of  it  by  Cicero — . 
Burner-- JBerkely— - -Shaftesbury — .Bentely—«Fenelon— .-Locke 
Hume—Hobs—Priestly  and  others,  all  of  whom  agree  in  de 
scribing  it  as  a  faculty  or  part  of  a  faculty,  possesing  a  quick 
and  universal  perception  of  right  and  wrong,  truth  and  error, 
and  of  propriety  and  impropriety  in  human  affairs-. 

I  shall  copy,  as  the  substance  of  all  that  those  authors  have 
said  upon  this  subject,  Dr.  Reid's  account  of  common  sense, 
published  in  the  2d.  chapter  of  the  sixth  number  of  his  Essays 
on  the  intellectual  powers  of  man.—."  It  is  absurd  to  co'ncieve 
"  (says  the  Doctor)  that  there  can  be  any  opposition  between 
"  reason  and  common  sense.  It  is  the  firstborn  of  reason, 
"  and,  as  they  are  commonly  joined  together  in  speech  and 
"  writing,  they  are  inseperable  in  their  nature." 

"  We  ascribe  to  reason  two  offices  or  two  degrees.  The  first 
f£  is  to  judge  of  things  self-evident ;  the  second  is  to  draw  con- 
K   k 


350  THOUGHTS  ON  COMMON  SENS*. 

«  elusions  that  are  not  self-evident  from  things  that  are.  The 
"  first  of  these  is  the  province,  and  the  sole  province,  of  com- 
ft  mon  sense,  and  there  fore  it  coincides  with  reason  in  its  whole 
"  extent,  and  is  only  another  name  for  one  branch  or  one  dc» 
»*  grec  of  reason." 

"  There  is  an  obvious  reason  why  this  degree  of  reason 
"  should  have  a  name  appropriated  to  it,  and  that  is,  that  in 
ci  the  greatest  part  of  mankind  no  other  degree  of  reason  is  to 
"  be  found.  It  is  this  degree  of  reason  that  entitles  them  to 
c<  tho  denomination  of  reasonable  creatures." 

"  These  two  degrees  of  reason  differ  in  other  respects, 
"  which  would  be  sufficient  to  entitle  them  to  distinct  names. 
"  The  first  is  the  gift  of  heaven — the  second  is  learned   by 
u  practice  and  rules,  when  the  first  is  not  wanting."  • 
Thus  far  Dr.  Reid. 

It  is  with  great  diffidence  that  I  object  to  any  thing  that 
comes  from  a  gentleman  from  whose  writings  I  have  derived 
so  much  entertainment  and  instruction,  and  who  has  done  so 
much  towards  removing  the  rubbish  that  has  for  many  ages 
obscured  the  science  of  metaphy  sicks.  This  diffidence  to 
offer  a  single  objection  to  Dr.  Reid's  opinion  upon  the  subject 
under  consideration,  is  encreased  by  the  groupe  of  popular  and 
respectable  names  under  which  he  has  supported  it. 

The  idea  which  I  have  adopted  of  common  sense  is  plain 
and  simple.  I  consider  it  as  the  perception  of  things  as  they 
appear  to  the  greatest  part  of  mankind.  It  has  no  relation  to 
their  being  true  or  falas,  right  or  wrong)  firofier  Qvim/irofier. 
For  the  sake  of  perspicuity,  I  shall  define  it  to  be,  Opinions 


THOUGHTS   OST    COMMON    SENSE.  251 

*nd  Feelings  in  unison  with  the  Opinions  and  Feelings  of  the  bulk 
of  mankind. 

From  this  definition  it  is  evident  that  common  sense  must 
necessarily  differ  in  different  ages  and  countries  and,  in  both, 
must  vary  with  the  progress  of  taste,  science,  and  religion. 
In  the  uncultivated  state  of  reason,  the  opinions  and  feelings 
©fam.ijority  of  mankind  win1  be  wrong,  and,  of  course,  their 
common  or  universal  sense  will  partake  of  their  errors.  In 
the  cultivated  st_ite  of  reason,  just  opinions  and  feelings  will 
become  general,  and  the  common  sense  of  the  majority  will 
be  in  unison  with  truth.  I  beg  leave  to  illustrate  what  I  mean 
by  a  few  examples. 

1.  There  are  many  things  which  were  contrary  to  common 
sense  in  former  ages,  both  in  philosophy  and  religion,  which 
are  now  universally  believed,  insomuch  that  to  call  them  in 
question  is  to  discover  a  want  of  judgment,  or  a  defective  edu- 
cution. 

2.  It  is  contrary  to  common  sense  to  speak  or  write  in  favour 
of  republicanism,  in  several  European  countries  ;  and  it  is 
equally  contrary  to  it  to  speak  or  write  in  favour  of  monarchy, 
in  the  United  States  of  America. 

3.  The  common  sense  of  the  planters  in  Jamaica,  is  in  fa- 
vour  of  the  commerce  and  slavery  of  the  Africans. — In  Penn 
sylvania,  reason,  humanity,  and  common  sense,  have  univer 
sally  declared  against  them, 

4.  In  Turkey,  it  is  contrary  to  the  common  sense  of  de 
licacy  which  prevails  in  that  country  for  a  gentleman  to  dance 
with  a  lady.     No  such  common  sense  prevails  in   any  of  the 
western  countries  of  Europe,  or  in  the  States  of  America. 


252  THOUGHTS    ON    COMMON    SENSE. 

5.  It  is  contrary  to  the  common  sense  of  many  numerous 
sects  to  believe   that  it  is  possible  for   men  to  go  to  heaven, 
who  do  not  embrace  their  principles, ,  or  mode  of  worship.— • 
Among  rational  men,    this    common  sense  is    contrary  to 
truth  and  Christian  religion. 

6.  The  common  sense  of  mankind  has  generally  been  in 
favour  of  established  modes  and  habits  of  practice,  in  medi 
cine.     Opium,  bark,  mercury  and  the  lancet  have  all  forced 
their  way  into  general  use,  contrary  to  this  common  sense. 
Their  utility  is  a  proof  how  little  common  sense  accords  with 
the  decisions  of  reason,  and  how  improperly  it  is  suppqsed  to 
be  a  part  of  that  noble  power  of  the  mind. 

7.  It  is  agreable  to  the  common  sense  of  a  great  part  of 
of  mankind,  to  revenge  public  and  private  injuries  by  wars  and 
and  duels,  and  yet  no  wise  or  just  reason  has  ever  been  given 
to  justify  the  practice  of  either  of  them. 

8.  The  common  sense  of  the  bulk  of  the  inhabitants  of  the 
British  Dominions,  and  of  the  United  States,  is   in  favour 
of  boys  spending  four  or  five  years  in  learning  the  Latin  and 
Greek  languages,  in  order  to  qualify  them  to  understand  the 
English  language.  Those  persons  who  recollect  that  the  most 
perfect  language  in  the  world,  viz.  the  Greek,  was  learned  with 
out  the  medium  or  aid  of  a  dead  or  foreign  language,  consider 
the   above   practice  (founded   in  common   sense)  as  contra 
ry  to  right  reason  and  productive  of  many  evils  in  education. 
But  further,  under  this  head.     The  common  sense  of  the 
same   immense  proportion  of  people,  is  in  favour  of  teach 
ing  boys  words,  before    they   are  taught  ideas.     Now  na 
ture  and  |%ht  reason  both  revolt  at  tins  absurd  practice. 


THOUGHTS    ON    COMMON    SE.VSF.  253 

9.  The  common  sense  of  nearly  all  nations,  is  in  favour  of 
preventing  crimes  by  the  punishment  of  death,  but  right  rea 
son,  policy,  and  the  experience  of  a  wise  and  enlightened 
prince,!  all  concur  in  proving  that  the  best  means  of  preven 
ting  crimes,  is  by  living  and  not  by  dead  examples. 

In  the  perfection  of  knowledge,  common  sense  and  truth  will 
be  in  unison  with  each  other.  It  is  new  more  related  to  error 
than  to  truth,  and  in  the  sense  in  which  I  have  described  it?  it 
implies  more  praise  than  censure  to  want  it. 

To  say  that  a  man  has  common  sense,  is  to  say  that  he  thinks 
with  his  age  or  country,  in  their  false,  as  well  as  their  true 
opinions  ;  and  the  greater  the  proportion  of  people,  he  acts 
and  thinks  with,  the  greater  share  he  possesses  of  this  com 
mon  sense. — After  all  that  has  been  said  in  its  favour,  I  can 
not  help  thinking  that  it  is  the  characteristic  only  of  common 
minds. 

To  think  and  act  with  the  majority  of  mankind,  when  they 
are  right,  and  differently  from  them,  when  they  are  wrong, 
constitutes  in  my  opinion,  the  perfection  of  human  wisdom  and 
conduct. 

The  feelings  and  of  unions  of  mankind  are  often  confounded  ; 
but  they  are  widely  different  from  each  other.  There  may 
bejusf  feelings  connected  with  erroneous  opinions  and  conduct. 
This  is  often  the  case  in  religion  and  government — But,  in 
general,  opinions  and  feelings  are  just  and  unjust  in  equal  de 
grees,  according  to  the  circumstance  of  age,  country,  and  the 
progress  of  knowledge  before  mentioned. 


t  Leopold,  Emperor  of  Germany. 


254  -THOUGHTS    ON    COMMON    SENSE. 

Had  this  common  sense  depended  upon  the  information  of  any 
one  of'tkejtvc  external  senses,  I  should  have  had  no  difficulty 
in  admitting  Dr.  Reid's  account  of  it,  inasmuch  as  the  per* 
ceptions  they  afford  are  the  same,  in  their  nature,  in  all  heal 
thy  men,  and  in  all  ages  and  countries.  But  to  suppose  it  to  be 
an  inferior  degree,  or  the^?r«r  act  of  reason,  and  afterwards 
to  suppose  it  to  be  universal,  is  to  contradict  every  thing  that 
history  and  observation  teach  us  of  human  nature.* 

In  matters  addressed  to  our  reason,  the  principal  business 
of  reason  is  to  correct  the  evidence  of  our  senses.  Indeed,  the 
perception'  of  truth,  in  philosophy,  seems  to  consist  in  little 
else  than  in  the  refutation  of  the  ideas  acquired  from  the  testi 
mony  of  our  senses.  In  the  progress  of  knowledge,  when 
the  exact  connection  between  the  senses  and  reason  is  perfect 
ly  understood,  it  is  probable  that  the  senses  and  reason  will  be 
in  unison  with  each  other,  and  that  mankind  will  as  sud 
denly  connect  the  evidence  of  all  the  senses  with  the  decisions 
of  reason,  as  they  now  connect,  with  certainty,  the  distance 
of  objects  with  the  evidence  of  the  eyes.  This  general  uni 
son  between  the  senses  and  reason,  as  in  the  case  of  vision, 
must  be  the  result  only  of  experience  and  habit. 

I  cannot  dismiss  this  subject  without  adding  the  following 
remark. 

Mankind  are  governed,  says  Mr.  Bayle>  by  their  prejudices, 
and  not  by  their  principles.  To  do  them  good,  we  must,  in 
some  measure,  conform  to  those  prejudices ;— hence  we  find 

*  The  King  of  Prussia,  in  his  posthumous  works,  says, 
n  Reason  never  did  any  thing  great,"  by  which  he  must  have 
ment  the  common  degrees  of  it,  or  what  is  called,  by  Dr. 

Ktid, 


THOUGHTS    ON    COMMON    SENSE. 

the  most  acceptable  men  in  practical  society,  have  been  those 
who  have  never  shocked  their  cotemporaries,  by  opposing 
popular  or  common  opinions.  Men  of  opposite  characters, 
like  objects  placed  too  near  the  eye,  are  seldom  seen  distinct 
ly  by  the  age  in  which  they  live.  They  must  content  them 
selves  with  the  prospect  of  being-  useful  to  the  distant  and 
more  enlightened  generations  which  are  to  follow  them.  Gali 
leo,  who  asked  pardon  of  the  Pope,  on  his  knees,  for  contra 
dicting  the  common  sense  of  the  church,  respecting  the  revo 
lution  of  the  earth,  and  Dr.  Harvey,  who  lost  all  his  business 
by  refuting  the  common  sense  of  former  ages,  respecting  the 
circulation  of  the  blood,  now  enjoy  a  reputation  for  their  opin 
ions  and  discoveries,  which  has  in  no  instance  ever  been 
given  to  the  cold  blood  of  common  sense. 

April  Id.  1791. 


ACCOUNT  OF  THE  VICES  PECULIAR  TO  THE  INDIANS  OF 
NORTH   AMERICA. 


IT  has  become  fashionable  of  late  years  for  the  philosophers 
of  Europe  to  celebrate  the  virtues  of  the  savages  of  America. 
Whether  the  design  of  their  encomiums  was  to  expose  Chris 
tianity,  and  depreciate  the  advantages  of  civilization,  I  know 
not ;  but  they  have  evidently  had  those  effects  upon  the  minds 
of  weak  people.  Without  contradicting  the  accounts  that  have 
been  published  by  those  gentlemen,  of  the  virtues  of  the  In 
dians  in  North  America,  I  shall  briefly  add  an  account  of  some 
of  their  vices,  in  order  to  complete  their  natural  history.  My 
information  shall  be  taken  from  the  travels  of  Charlevoix 
Hennepen— .Carver — Romans  and  Bartram,  and  from  conver 
sations  with  persons  of  veracity  who  have  resided  among 
them. 

The  first  vice  I  shall  name,  that  is  universal  among  our  sav 
ages,  is  UNCLEANNESS.  They  are,  in  general,  stran 
gers  to  the  obligations  both  of  morality  and  decency,  as  far  as 
they  relate  to  the  marriage  bed.— .The  exceptions  to  this  re 
mark,  have  been  produced  among  those  nations  chiefly,  who 
have  had  an  occasional  intercourse  with  civilized  nations. 

2.  NASTINESS  is  another  Indian  vice.  This  is  exempli 
fied  in  their  food— -drinks— «dress— .persons— >and  above  all,  in 
their  total  disregard  to  decency  in  the  time — /z/acf— *uid  manner 
of  their  natural  evacuations. 


PECULIAR    TO    THE    INDIANS.  257 

3.  DRUNKENNESS  is  a  more  general  vice  among  sav 
ages  than  among  civilized  nations.— Whole  Indian  tribes  have 
been  destroyed  by  it.     Indeed  they  glory  in  their  fondness  for 
strong  liquors,  and  consider  it  as  a  part  of  their  character. 
A  countryman  who  had  dropt  from  his  cart  a  keg  of  rum, 
rode  back  a  few  miles  in  hopes  of  finding  it.     On  his  way  he 
met  an  Indian  who  lived  in  his  neighbourhood,  whom  he  ask 
ed  if  he  had  seen  his  keg  of  rum  on  the  road  ?  The  Indian 
laughed  in  his  face,  and  addressed  him  in  the  following  words. 
u  What  a  fool  you  are  to  ask  an  Indian  such  a  question.    Don't 
"  you  see  I  am  sober  ?  Had  I  met  with  your  keg,  you  would 
*'  have  found  it  empty  on  one  side  of  the  road,  and  Indian 
4C  T6m  drunk  and  asleep  on  the  other." 

4.  GLUTTONY  is  very  common  among  Indians.     To  this 
their  long  abstinence,  produced  by  their  idleness,  naturally 
tempts  them.— -It  is  very  common  to  see  them  stretch  them 
selves  on  the  ground  after  a  full  meal,  and  grunt  there  for  sev 
eral  hours  till  they  recover  from  the  effects  of  their  intemper 
ance.     Mr.  Bartram  tells  us,  that  they  sometimes  rise  in  the 
middle  of  the  night,  in  order  to  gratify  their  appetites  for 
eating, 

5.  TREACHERY  is  another  Indian  vice.   Who  ever  trust 
ed  to   an  Indian  treaty  ? — .They  generally  begin  their  wars, 
with  professions  of  peace  and  perpetual  friendship. 

6  The  CRUELTY  of  Indians  is  well  known.  They  consi 
der  compassion  as  a  mark  of  effeminacy.     Their  treatment 
of  their  prisoners,  shews  them  to  possess  a  spirit  of  revenge, 
which  places  them  upon  a  footing  with  infernal  spirits. 

7  IDLENESS  is  the  universal  vice  of  savages.     They  are 
tiot  only  too  lazy  to  work,  but  even  to  think.     Nothing  but  the' 

L  I 


258  AN    ACCOUNT    OF    THE    VICES 

powerful  stimulus  of  hunger,  or  revenge,  is  sufficient  to  rouse 
them  into  action. 

8.  THEFT  is  an  Indian  vice.     The  Indians  not  only  steal 
from  their  civilized  neighbours,  but  from  each  other.     A  horse 
—a  gun— -or  spirits,  have  charms  in  the  eyes  of  an  Indian  that 
no  restraints  can  prevent  his  stealing,  whenever  they  come 
in  his  way. 

9.  GAMING  belongs  in  an  eminent  degree  to  the  Cata 
logue  of  indian  vices. 

10.  But  the  infamy  of  the  Indian  character  is  completed  by 
the  low  rank  to  which  they  degrade  their  women.     It  is  well 
known  that  their  women  perform  all  their  work.     They  not 
only  prepare  their  victuals,  but  plant,  hoe  and  gather  their 
corn  and  roots.     They  are  seldom  admitted  to  their  feasts,  or 
share  in  their  conversation.     The  men  oblige  them  to  lie  at 
their  feet,  when  they  sleep  ivithout  fire  ;  and  at  their  backs 
when  they  sleep  before  a  fire.     They  afford  them  no  assistance 
in  the  toil  of  tending,  feeding,  and  carrying  their  children. 
They  are  even  insensible  of  the  dangers  to  which  their  women 
are  often  exposed  in  travelling  with  them.     A  gentleman  from 
Northumberland  county,  informed  me,  that  he  once  saw  a  bo 
dy  of  Indian  men  and  women  wading  across  the  river  Susque- 
hannah.     The  men  arrived  first  on  the  opposite  shore,  and 
pursued  their  journey  along  the  river.     The  women,  some 
of  whom  had  children  on  their  backs,  upon  coming  to  a  deep 
and  rapid  current,  suddenly  cried  out  for  help,  and  made  signs 
to  their  husbands  and  fathers  to  come  to  their  assistance.     The 
men  stood  for  a  few  minutes—and  after  attentively  surveying 
their  distress,  bursted  out  a  laughing,  and  then  with  a  merry 
indifference,  walked  from  them  along  the  shore. 


PECULIAR    TO    THE    INDIANS. 

This  is  a  short  nomenclature  of  the  vices  of  the  Indians  of 
North  America.  If  it  were  necessary,  I  would  quote  the  chap 
ters  and  pages  of  the  authors  who  have  established,  by  their 
observations,  the  truth  of  the  character  I  have  given  of  them. 
I  am  not  disposed  to  enter  into  an  examination  of  their  virtues, 
but  I  cannot  help  supposing  them  to  be  rather  the  qualities  of 
necessity )  than  the  offspring  of  feeling,  or  principle.  Their 
hospitalitiy— .their  friendships-— their  patience— -and  "their  fi 
delity  to  engagements,  are  the  effects  of  necessity,  and  are  as 
essential  to  their  existence,  as  honesty  is  to  a  band  of  associated 
robbers.  Their  politeness  in  never  contradicting  any  person, 
I  believe  is  the  effect  of  indolence,  for  I  know  of  nothing  that 
lazy  people  dislike  more  than  to  dispute,  even  where  truth  is 
on  their  side,  or  where  victory  is  certain.— Where  is  the  man 
that  in  a  lazy  fit  (to  which  all  men  at  times  are  subject)  has  not 
heard  false  and  absurd  opinions  advanced  in  company,  without 
contradicting  them  ? 

The  taciturnity  of  the  Indians  which  has  been  so  much  cele- 
brated,  as  a  mark  of  their  wisdom,  is  the  effect  of  their  want 
of  ideas.  Except  in  cases  of  extraordinary  pride,  I  believe 
taciturnity,  in  nine  cases  out  often,  in  civilized  company,  is 
the  effect  of  stupidity.  I  will  make  one  more  exception  to 
this  rule,  and  that  is  in  favour  of  those  people  who  are  in  the 
habits  of  communicating  their  thoughts,  by  writing  for  the 
public,  or  by  corresponding  with  their  friends.  Ideas,  whe 
ther  acquired  from  books,  or  by  reflection,  produce  a  plethora 
in  the  mind,  which  can  only  be  relieved  by  depletion  from 
the  pen,  or  tongue. 

But  what  shall  we  say  to  the  encomiums  that  have  been 
lavished  upon  the  love  of  liberty  which  characterizes  our  sav 
age  neighbours  ?*-— Why— that  they  arise  from  an  ignorance 


260  AN    ACCOUNT    OF    THE    VlCk* 

of  the  influence  of  property,  upon  the  human  mind.— Proper 
ty,  and  a  regard  for  law,  are  born  together  in  all  societies. 
The  passion  for  liberty  in  an  Indian,  is  as  different  from  the 
passion  for  it  in  a  civilized  republican,  as  the  impurity  of  lust, 
is,  from  the  delicacy  of  love.  There  is  a  certain  medium  to  be 
observed  between  an  affection  for  law,  and  for  liberty.  An 
excess  of  the  former  has  sometimes  led  to  tyranny,  while  an 
excess  of  the  latter,  leads  to  idleness  and  vice.  The  Athe 
nians  appear  to  have  been  intoxicated  with  an  excess  of  liberty 
when  they  spent  their  whole  time  in  hearing  and  telling  news. 
There  is  always  an  excess  of  law  or  liberty  in  a  community 
where  poor  men  are  idle,  or  where  vices  of  any  kind  are  suf 
fered  with  impunity. 

The  only  reflections  that  I  shall  add  upon  this  subject,  shall 
be,  how  are  the  blessings  of  civil  government  which  exter 
pates,  restrains,  or  punishes  the  vices  that  have  been  men* 
tioned !  and  how  tgreat  is  the  efficacy  of  Christianity,  which, 
by  purifying  the  heart,  renders  the  practice  of  the  contra- 
ry  virtues  natural  and  agreeable  ? 


OBSERVATIONS    UPON   THE  INFLUENCE   OF  THE    HABITUAL 
USE  OF  TOBACCO  UPON  HEALTH,  MORALS,  AND  PROPERTY, 


WERE  it  possible  for  a  being  who  had  resided  upon  our 
globe,  to  visit  the  inhabitants  of  a  planet,  where  reason 
governed)  and  to  tell  them  that  a  vile  weed  was  in  gene 
ral  use  among  the  inhabitants  of  the  globe  it  had  left,  which 
afforded  no  nourishment — that  this  weed  was  cultivated  with 
immense  care—that  it  was  an  important  article  of  com 
merce— -that  the  want  of  it  produced  real  misery-— that  its 
taste  was  extremely  nauseous,  that  it  was  unfriendly  to 
health  and  morals,  and  that  its  use  was  attended  with  a 
considerable  loss  of  time  and  property,  the  account  would 
be  thought  incredible,  and  the  author  of  it  would  proba 
bly  be  excluded  from  society,  for  relating  a  story  of  so  im 
probable  a  nature.  In  no  one  view,  is  it  possible  to  con 
template  the  creature  man  in  a  more  absurd  and  ridicu 
lous  light,  than  in  his  attachment  to  TOBACCO. 

This  weed  is  of  a  stimulating  nature  whether  it  be  used  in 
smoaking,  chewing  or  in  snuff.  Like  opium  and  spiritous 
liquors,  it  is  sought  for  in  all  those  cases  where  the  body  is 
debilitated  indirectly  by  intemperance  in  eating,  or  by  excessive 
application  to  study,  or  business,  or  directly  by  sedative  pas 
sions  of  the  mind,  particularly  by  grief  and  fear.  Persons 
after  losing  relations  or  friends  by  death,  often  resort  to  it. 
One  of  the  greatest  snuffers  I  ever  knew,  used  it  for  the  first 
time,  in  order  to  console  her  under  a  presentiment  she  enter 
tained,  that  she  should  die  in  childbed.  Fear  creates  a  desire 
for  Tobacco.  Hence  it  is  used  in  a  greater  quantity  by  sol- 


203  GlibLUYATIONS    OX    THE 

diers  and  sailors  than  by  other  classes  of  people.  It  is  used 
most  profusely  by  soldiers  when  they  act  as  picket  guards, 
or  centinels,  and  by  sailors  in  stormy  weather.  Persons  la 
bouring  under  that  state  of  madness  which  is  accompanied 
with  a  sense  of  misery,  are  much  devoted  to  it,  hence  the 
tenants  of  mad-houses  often  accost  their  attendants  and  visit 
ors,  with  petitions  for  TOR  AC  co. 

The  progress  of  habit  in  the  use  of  Tobacco  is  exactly  the 
same  as  m  the  use  o  s-piritous  liquors.  The  slaves  of  it  begin, 
by  using  it  only  after  dinner — .then  during  the  whole  after 
noon  an  evening,  afteiv.'ards  before  dinner,  then  before 
breakfast,  a  d  nr.all  d  ring  the  whole  night.  I  knew  a  lady 
who  had  passeJ  through  all  these  stages,  who  used  to  wake 
regularly  two  or  three  times  every  night  to  compose  her  sys 
tem  w'th  fresh  do?esr  of  snuff.  Again— the  progress  in  the 
decay  of  the  sensib.iity  of  the  nose  to  the  stimulus  of  snuff  is 
analogous  to  the  Ui  cay  of  the  sensibility  of  the  stomach,  to  the 
stimulus  of  spiritous  liquors.  It  feels  for  a  while  the  action 
of  Rappee  ;  next  it  requires  Scotch  snuff,  afterwards  Irish* 
black-guard— ami  finally  it  is  affected  only  by  a  composition  of 
Tobacco  and  ground  gla  is.  This  mixture  is  to  the  nose,  what 
Cayenne  pepper  and  Jamaica  spirits  are  to  the  stomachs  of 
habitual  dram  drinkers. 

The  appetite  for  Tobacco  is  wholly  artificial.  No  person 
was  ever  born  with  a  relish  for  it.  Even  in  those  persons  who 
are  much  attached  to  it,  nature  frequently  recovers  her  disrel 
ish  to  it.  It  ceases  to  be  agreeable  in  every  febile  indispo 
sition.  This  is  so  invariably  true,  that  a  disrelish  to  it  is  of 
ten  a  sign  of  an  approaching,  and  a  return  of  the  appetite  fen- 
it,  a  sign  of  a  departing  fever. 


USE    OF    TOBACCO. 

In  considering  the  pernicious  effects  of  Tobacco,  I  shall 
begin  Cgreeably  to  the  order  1  have  laid  down,  by  taking  no* 
tice  of  its  influence  upon  health  ;  and  here  I  shall  mention 
its  effects  not  only  upon  the  body,  but  upon  the  mind. 

1.  It  impairs  the  appetite.     Where  it  does  not  produce 
this  effect, 

2.  It  prevents  the  early  and  complete  digestion  of  the  food, 
and  thereby  induces  distressing,  and  incurable  diseases  not 
only  of  the  stomach,  but  of  the  whole  body.     This  effect  of 
Tobacco  is  the  result  of  the  waste  of  the  saliva  in  chewing, 
and  smoking,  or  of  the  Tobacco  insinuating  itself  into  the 

stomach,  when  used  in  chewing,  or  snuffing.—* 1  once 

lost  a  young  man  of  17  years  of  age,  of  a  pulmonary  con 
sumption,  whose  disorder  was  brought  on  by  the  intemperate 
use  of  segars. 

3.  It  produces  many  of  those  diseases  which  are  supposed 
to  be  seated  in  the  nerves.     The  late  Sir  John  Rringle  was 
subject  in  the  evening  of  his  life  to  tremors  in  his  hands.     In 
his  last  visit  to  France,  a  few  years  before  he  died,  in  compa 
ny  with  Dr.  Franklin,  he  was  requested  by  the  Doctor  to  ob 
serve,  that  the  same  disorder  was  very  common  among  those 
people  of  fashion  who  were  great  snuffers.     Sir  John  was  led 
by  this  remark  to  suspect  that  his  tremors  were  occasioned  by 
snuff  which  he  took  in  large  quantises.     He  immediately  left 
off  taking  it,  and  soon  afterwards  recovered  the  perfect  use 
of  his  hands.     I  have  seen  head-ache,  vertigo,  and  epilepsy 
produced  by  the  use  of  Tobacco.     A  Physician  in  Connecti 
cut  has  remarked  that  it  has  in  several  instances  produced  pal- 
sy  and  apoplexy  ;  and  Dr.  Tissot  ascribes  sudden  death  in  one 
instance,  to  the  excessive  use  of  it  in  smoaking. 


ci  OBSERVATION'S    ON    THE 

4.  A  citizen  of  Philadelphia  lost  all  his  teeth  by  drawing 
the  hot  smoke  of  Tobacco  into  his  mouth  by  means  of  a  short 
pipe,  and  I  have  been  informed  of  a  cancer  on  the  lip,  which 
terminated  fatally  from  the  same  cause,  in  a  farmer  in  Nor 
thumberland  county  in  this  state.     The  acrid  nature  of  the 
matter  which  is  mixed  with  the  smoke  of  the  Tobacco  may 
easily  be  discovered  by  the  taste  or  smell  of  a  pipe  Stem  that 
has  been  in  use  for  two  or  three  weeks. 

5.  Tobacco  when  used  in  the  form  of  snuff  seldom  fails  of 
impairing  the  voice  by  obstructing  the  nose.     It  moreover 
imparts  to  the  complexion  a  disagreeable  dusky  colour. 

I  have  thus  briefly  enumerated  the  morbid  effects  of  Tobac 
co  upon  the  human  body.  It  remains  under  this  head  to 
mention,  that  the  want  of  it  is  a  source  of  uneasiness  more 
distressing  than  many  bodily  disorders.  This  uneasiness  in 
persons  who  have  long  been  accustomed  to  the  use  of  Tobac 
co  has  in  some  instances  produced  an  agitation  of  mind  that 
has  bordered  upon  distraction.  Colonel  Burr  informed  me 
tnat  the  greatest  complaints,  dissatisfaction  and  suffering  that 
he  heard  the  soldiers  who  accompanied  General  Arnold  in  his 
inarch  from-  Boston  to  Quebec  through  the  wilderness,  in  the 
year  1775,  were  from  the  want  of  Tobacco.  This  was  the 
more  remarkable,  as  they  were  so  destitute  of  provisions  as 
to  be  obliged  to  kill,  and  eat  their  dogs.  The  Persians,  we 
are  told  by  travellers,  expatriate  themselves,  when  they  are 
forbidden  the  use  of  Tobacco,  in  order  to  enjoy  it  in  a  foreign 
country.  These  'facts  will  not  surprise  those  persons  who 
have  been  accustomed  to  view  our  appetites  when  perverted 
to  such  things  as  artificial  and  disagreeable,  to  be  much  more 
ungovernable  than  the  appetite  for  things  that  are  originally 
natural  and  agreeable. 


USE    OF    TOBACCO.  265 

But  the  use  of  Tobacco  has  been  known  to  produce  a  more 
serious  effect  upon  the  mind  than  the  distress  that  has  been 
mentioned.  Sir  John  Pringle's  memory  was  impaired  by 
snuff.  This  was  proved  by  his  recovering  the  perfect  exer 
cise  of  it  after  he  left  off  taking  snuff  agreeably  to  the  advice 
of  his  friend  Dr.  Franklin.  Dr.  Masillac  informed  me  that 
his  father  lost  his  memory  at  forty  years  of  age  by  the  exces 
sive  use  of  snuff.  He  took  for  several  years  two  ounces  of  it 
every  day. 

In  answer  to  these  observations  upon  the  morbid  effects  of 
Tobacco  it  has  been  said* 

1.  That  it   possesses  many  medical  virtues.     I  grant  it, 
and  the  facts  which  establish  its  utility  in  medicine  furnish 
us  with  additional  arguments  against  the  habitual  use  of  it. 
How  feeble  would  be  the  effects  of  opium  and  bark  upon  the 
the  body,  if  they  constituted  a  part  of  the  condiments  of  our 
daily  food  ;— «While  I  admit  the  efficacy  of  tobacco  as  a  medi 
cine,  I   cannot  help   adding,  that  some  of  the   diseases,  or 
symptoms  of  diseases  which  it  relieves,  are  evidently  induced 
by  the  habit  of  using  it.     Thus  a  dram  of  ardent  spirits  sus 
pends,  for  a  while,  a  vomiting  and  tremors  of  the  hands,  but 
who  does  not  know  that  those  complaints,  are  the  effects  of 
the  intemperate  and  habitual  use  of  spiritous  liquors  ? 

2.  The  advocates  for  Tobacco,  tell  us   that  smoking  and 
snuff  relieve  that  uneasiness  which  succeeds  a  plentiful  meal. 
I  admit  that  the  stimulars  of  the  Tobacco  restores  the  system 
from  the  indirect   weakness  which  is  induced  by   intemper 
ance  in  eating,  but  the  relief  which  is  thus  obtained,  illy  com 
pensates  for  the   waste  of  the   saliva  in  smoking,  at  a  time 

M  m 


266  OBSERVATIONS    ON    THE 

when  it  is  most  wanted,  or  for  the  mixtre  of  a  portion  of  the 
tobacco  with  the  aliment  in  the  stomach  by  means  of  snuffing. 
But  why  should  we  cure  one  evil  by  producing  another  ? 
Would  it  not  be  much  better  to  obviate  the  necessity  of  using 
Tobacco  by  always  eating  a  moderate  meal  ?  The  recollec 
tion  of  the  remedy  probably  disposes  to  that  intemperance  in 
eating  which  produces  the  uneasiness  that  has  been  men 
tioned. 

3.  We  are  sometimes  told  that  Tobacco  is  a  preservative 
from  contagious  diseases.  But  many  facts  contradict  this 
assertion.  Mr.  Howard  informs  us  that  it  had  no  efficacy  in 
checking  the  contagion  of  the  plague,  and  repeated  ex 
perience  in  Philadelphia  has  proved,  that  it  is  equally  in 
effectual  in  preserving  those  who  use  it,  from  the  Influenza 
and  Yellow  Fever. 

4.  It  has  been  further  said  that  chewing  and  smoking  To 
bacco  assist  the  intellectual  operations.  So  do  wine,  and  dis 
tilled  spirits,  but  shall  we  upon  that  account,  have  recourse  to 
those  liquors  when  we  wish  to  stimulate  our  thinking  facul 
ties  ?  Tea  and  Coffee  are  to  be  preferred,  when  we  wish  to 
stimulate  the  mind.  Mr.  Pope  recommends  a  trotting  horse 
for  the  same  purpose.  Rousseau  excited  his  invention  by 
walking  backwards  and  forwards  in  his  room.  I  suspect  that 
Tobacco  is  often  used,  rather  to  supply  the  want  of  ideas 
than  to  collect,  or  excite  them.  The  absence  of  sensation, 
whether  of  external  impressions  upon  the  body,  or  of  the  re 
action  of  the  mind  in  thought,  is  always  accompanied  with 
misery.  The  Indians  afford  a  striking  proof  of  this  remark 
—hence  they  spend  whole  days  and  even  weeks  in  smoking, 
in  order  to  Relieve  themselves  from  the  anguish  which  attends 
the  inactivity  and  vacuum  of  their  minds. 


USE    OF    TOBACCO.  267 

We  proceed  next  to  mention  the  influence  of  the  habitual 
use  of  Tobacco  upon  morals. 

1.  One  of  the  usual  effects  of  smoaking  and  chewing  is 
thirst.  This  thirst  cannot  be  allayed  by  water,  for  no  seda 
tive  or  even  insipid  liquor  will  be  relished  after  the  mouth 
and  throat  have  been  exposed  to  the  stimulus  of  the  smoke, 
or  juice  of  Tobacco.  A  desire  of  course  is  excited  for  strong 
drinks,  and  these  when  taken  between  meals  soon  lead  to  in 
temperance  and  drunkenness.  One  of  the  greatest  sots  I 
ever  knew,  acquired  a  love  for  ardent  spirits  by  swallowing 
cuds  of  Tobacco,  which  he  did,  to  escape  detection  in  the 
use  of  it,  for  he  had  contracted  the  habit  of  chewing,  con 
trary  to  the  advice  and  commands  of  his  father.  He  died  of 
a  Dropsy  under  my  care  in  the  year  1780. 

2.  The  use  of  Tobacco,  more  especially  in  smoking,  dis 
poses  to  idleness,  and  idleness  has  been  considered  as  the  root 
of  all  evil.     "  An  idle  man's  brain,  (says  the  celebrated  and 
original  Mr.  Bunyan)  is  the  Devil's  work  shop." 

3.  The  use  of  Tobacco  is  necessarily  connected  with  the 
neglect  of  cleanliness.     The  influence  of  this  neglect  upon 
morals  has  been  happily  pointed  out  in  an  extract  from  cap 
tain  Cook's  journal,  which  is  published  by   Sir  John  Pringle 
in  one  of  his  Orations  before  the  Royal  Society  of  London. 

4.  Tobacco,  more  especially  when  used  in   smoking,  is 
generally  offensive  to  those  people  who  do  not  use  it.     To 
smoke  in  company  under  such  circumstances,  is  a  breach  of 
good  manners ;  now,  manners  have  an  influence  upon  morals. 
They  may  be  considered  as  the  out  post  of  virtue .     A  habit 
of  offending  the  senses  of  friends  or  strangers,  by  the  use  of 


268  OBSERVATIONS    ON    THE 

Tobacco,  cannot  therefore  be  indulged  with  innocence.  It 
produces  a  want  of  respect  for  our  fellow  creatures,  and  this 
always  disposes  to  unkind  and  unjust  behaviour  towards  them. 
Who  ever  knew  a  rude  man  compleatly,  or  uniformly  moral  ? 

The  methodists  forbad  the  use  of  Tobacco  in  the  infancy 
of  their  society.  The  prohibition  discovered  a  high  and  just 
sense  of  the  self-denial,  decency,  and  universal  civility  which 
are  required  by  the  gospel.  What  reception  may  we  sup 
pose  would  the  apostles  have  met  with,  had  they  carried  into 
the  cities  and  houses  to  which  they  were  sent,  snuff-boxes, 
pipes,  segars,  and  bundles  of  cut,  or  rolls  of  hog,  or  pigtail 
Tpbacco  ?  Such  a  costly  and  offensive  apparatus  for  gratify 
ing  their  appetites,  would  have  furnished  solid  objections  to 
their  persons  and  doctrines,  and  would  have  been  a  just  cause 
for  the  clamours  and  contempt  which  were  excited  against 
them.  It  is  agreeable  to  observe  that  a  regard  to  good  man 
ners,  upon  this  subject,  has  at  last  awakened  in  some  parts 
of  the  world.  In  England  smoking  is  not  permitted  in  ta 
verns  and  coffee-houses  until  after  10  o'clock  at  night,  and  in 
France  snuffing  is  becoming  unfashionable  and  vulgar.  How 
much  is  it  to  be  lamented  that  while  the  use  of  Tobacco  is  de 
clining  in  two  of  the  most  enlightned  countries  in  Europe,  it 
is  becoming  more  general  in  America.  Who  can  see  groups 
of  boys  of  six  or  eight  years  old  in  our  streets  smoking 
segars,  without  anticipating  such  a  depreciation  of  our  pos 
terity  in  health  and  character,  as  can  scarcely  be  contemplat 
ed  at  this  distance  of  time  without  pain  and  horror ! 

It  remains  now  that  I  briefly  point  out  the  influence  of  tho 
use  of  tobacco  upon  time  and  property.  Snuffing  makes  a  great 
inroad  upon  time.  A  man  who  takes  a  pinch  of  snuff  every 
twenty  minutes,  (which  most  habitual  snuffers  do)  and  snuffs 


USE    OF    TOBACCO.  269 

fifteen  hours  in  four  and  twenty,  (allowing  him  to  consume  not 
quite  half  a  minute  every  time  he  uses  his  box,)  will  waste  a- 
bout  five  whole  days  of  every  year  of  his  life  in  this  useless,  and 
unwholesome  practice.  But  when  we  add  to  the  profitable  use 
to  which  this  time  might  have  been  applied,  the  expences  of 
Tobacco,  pipes,  snuff  and  spitting  boxes-— and  of  the  injuries 
which  are  done  to  the  cloathing,  during  a  whole  life,  the  ag 
gregate  sum  would  probably  amount  to  several  hundred  dol 
lars.  To  a  labouring  man  this  would  be  a  decent  portion  for  a 
son  or  daughter,  while  the  same  sum,  saved  by  a  man  in 
affluent  circumstances,  would  have  enabled  him  by  a  contribu 
tion  to  a  public  charity  to  have  lessened  a  large  portion  of  the 
ignorance,  or  misery  of  mankind. 

In  reviewing  the  account  that  has  been  given  of  the  disa 
greeable  and  mischievous  effects  of  Tobacco,  we  are  led  to 
enquire,  what  are  its  uses  upon  our  globe,— .for  we  are  as 
sured  that  nothing,  exists  in  vain.  Poison  is  a  relative  term, 
and  the  most  noxious  plants  have  been  discovered  to  afford 
sustenance  to  certain  animals.  But  what  animal  besides  man, 
will  take  Tobacco  into  its  mouth  ?  Horses,  Cows,  Sheep, 
Cats,  Dogs,  and  even  Hogs  refuse  to  taste  it.  Flies,  Musque- 
toes,  and  the  Moth  are  chased  from  our  cloaths  by  the  smell 
of  it.  But  let  us  not  arraign  the  wisdom  and  economy  of  na 
ture  in  the  production  of  this  plant.  Modern  Travellers  have 
at  last  discovered  that  it  constitutes  the  food  of  a  solitary  and 
filthy  wild  beast,  well  known  in  the  deserts  of  Africa,  by  the 
name  of  the  ROCK  GOAT. 

I  shall  conclude  these  observations  by  relating  an  Anecdote 
of  the  late  Dr.  Franklin.  A  few  months  before  his  death,  he 
declared  to  one  of  his  friends  that  he  had  never  used  Tobacco 
in  any  way  in  the  course  of  his  long  life,  and  that  he  was  dis- 


270  OBSERVATIONS    OX    THE    USE    OF    TOBACCO. 

posed  to  believe  there  was  not  much  advantage  to  be  derived 
from  it,  for  that  he  had  never  met  with  a  man  who  used  it, 
who  advised  him  to  follow  his  example. 


AN  ACCOUNT  OF  THE  SUGAR  MAPLE-TREE  OF  THE  UNITED 
STATES:  IN  A  LETTER  TO  THOMAS  JEFFERSON,  ESQ.  THEN- 
SECRETARY  OF  STATE  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES,  AND  ONE 
OF  THE-  VICE  PRESIDENTS  OF  THE  AMERICAN  PHILOSO 
PHICAL  SOCIETY. 


DEAR  SIR, 

IN  obedience  to  your  request,  I  have  sat  down  to  commu 
nicate  to  our  society,  through  the  medium  of  a  letter  to  you, 
a  short  account  of  the  Sugar  Mafile-Tree  of  the  United  States, 
together  with  such  facts  and  remarks  as  I  have  been  able  to 
collect,  upon  the  methods  of  obtaining  sugar  from  it,  and  up 
on  the  advantages  both  public  and  private,  of  this  Sugar. 

The  Jtcer  Sacharinum  of  Linnaeus,  or  the  Sugar  Maple-tree, 
grows  in  great  quantities  in  the  western  counties  of  all  the 
Middle  States  of  the  American  Union.  Those  which  grow 
in  New-York  and  Pennsylvania  yield  the  sugar  in  a  greater 
than  those  which  grow  on  the  waters  of  the  Ohio.—* 


AN    ACCOUNT    OF    THE    SUGAR    MAPLE    TREE.  271 

These  trees  are  generally  found  mixed  with  the  Beech,  (a) 
Hemlock,  (b)  White  and  water  Ash,  (c)  the  Cucumber  tree, 
(d)  Linden,  (e)  Aspen,  (f)  Butter  Nut,  (g)  and  Wild  Cher 
ry  trees  (h).  They  sometimes  appear  in  groves  covering 
five  or  six  acres  in  a  body,  but  they  are  more  commonly  in 
terspersed  with  some,  or  all  of  the  forest  trees  which  have 
been  mentioned.  From  30  to  50  trees  are  generally  found 
upon  an  acre  of  ground.  They  grow  only  in  the  richest  soils 
and  frequently  in  stony  ground.  Springs  of  the  purest  water 
abound  in  their  neighbourhood.  They  are,  when  fully  grown, 
as  tall  as  the  white  and  black  oaks,  and  from  two  to  three  feet 
in  diameter.*  They  put  forth  a  beautiful  white  blossom  in 
the  Spring  before  they  show  a  single  leaf.  The  colour  of  the 
blossotn  distinguishes  them  from  the  acer  rubrum,  or  the 
common  maple,  which  affords  a  blossom  of  a  red  colour. 
The  wood  of  the  Sugar  Maple-tree  is  extremely  inflammable, 
and  is  prefered  upon  that  account  by  hunters  and  surveyors 
for  fire  wood.  Its  small  branches  are  so  much  impregnated 
with  sugar  as  to  afford  support  to  the  cattle,  horses,  and 
and  sheep  of  the  first  settlers  during  the  winter,  before  they 
are  able  to  cultivate  forage  for  that  purpose.  Its  ashes  afford 


(a)  Fagus  Ferruginea.  (b)  Pinus  abies.  (c)  Fraxinus 
Americana,  (d)  Magnolia  acuminata.  (e)  Tilia  Ameri 
cana,  (f)  Populus  tremula..  (g)  Juglans  alba  (oblonga.) 
(h)  Primus  Virginiana,  of  Linnaeus. 


*  Baron  La  Hontan,  in  his  voyage  to  North  America, 
gives  the  following  account  of  the  Maple-tree  in  Canada, 
After  describing  the  black  Cherry-tree,  some  of  which  he 
says  are  as  tall  as  the  loftiest  oaks,  and  as  big  as  a  hogs 
head,  he  adds,  "  The  Maple-tree  is  much  of  the  same  height 
"  and  bulk.  It  bears  no  resemblance  to  that  sort  we  have  in 
"Europe.'* 


72  AN    ACCOUNT    OF 

a  great  quantity  of  pot  ash,  exceeded  by  few,  or  perhaps 
by  none  of  the  trees  that  grow  in  the  woods  of  the  United 
States. 

The  tree  is  supposed  to  arrive  at  its  full  growth  in  the 
woods  in  twenty  years. 

It  is  not  injured  by  tapping  ;  on  the  contrary,  the  oftner 
it  is  tapped,  the  more  syrup  is  obtained  from  it.  In  this  re 
spect  it  follows  a  law  of  animal  secretion.  A  single  tree  has 
not  only  survived,  but  flourished  after  forty-two  tappings  in  the 
same  number  of  years.  The  effects  of  a  yearly  discharge  of 
sap  from  the  tree  in  improving-  and  increasing  the  sap,  is  de 
monstrated  from  the  superior  excellence  of  those  trees  which 
have  been  perforated  in  an  hundred  places,  by  a  small  wood 
pecker  which  feeds  upon  the  sap.  These  trees  after  having 
been  wounded  in  this  way,  distil  the  remains  of  their  juice  on 
the  ground,  and  afterwards  acquire  a  black  colour.  The  sap 
of  these  trees  is  much  sweeter  to  the  taste  than  that  which  is 
obtained  from  trees  which  have  not  been  previously  wounded, 
and  it  affords  more  sugar. 

From  twenty-three  gallons  and  one  quart  of  sap  procured  in 
twenty  hours  from  only  two  of  these  dark  coloured  trees,  Ar 
thur  Noble,  Esq.  of  the  state  of  New-York,  obtained  four 
Dounds  and  thirteen  ounces  of  good  grained  sugar. 

A  tree  of  an  ordinary  size  yields  in  a  good  season  from 
twenty  to  thirty  gallons  of  sap,  from  which  are  made  from 
live  to  six  pounds  of  sugar.  To  this  there  are  sometimes  re 
markable  exceptions.  Samuel  Low,  Esq.  a  Justice  of  Peace 
in  Montgomery  county,  in  the  state  of  New-York,  informed 
Arthur  Noble,  Esq.  that  he  had  made  twenty  pounds  and  one 
ounce  of  sugar  between  the  14th  and  23d  of  April,  in  the* 


THE    SUGAR    MAPLE-TREE.  373 

year   1789,  from  a  single  tree  that  had  been  tapped  for  seve 
ral  successive  years  before. 

From  the  influence  which  culture  has  upon  forest  and  other 
trees,  it  has  been  supposed,  that  by  transplanting  the  Sugar 
Maple-Tree  into  a  garden,  or  by  destroying  such  other  trees  as 
shelter  it  from  the  rays  of  the  Sun,  the  quantity  of  the  sap 
might  be  increased ;  and  its  quality  much  improved.  I  have 
heard  of  one  fact  which  favours  this  opinion.  A  farmer  in 
Northampton  county,  in  the  state  of  Pennsylvania,  planted  a 
number  of  these  trees  above  twenty  years  ago  in  his  meadow 
from  three  gallons  of  the  sap  of  which  he  obtains  every  year  a 
pound  of  sugar.  It  was  remarked  formerly  that  it  required 
Jive  or  six  gallons  of  the  sap  of  the  trees  which  grow  in  the 
woods,  to  produce  the  same  quantity  of  sugar. 

The  sap  distils  from  the  wood  of  the  tree.  Trees  which 
have  been  cut  down  in  the  winter  for  the  support  of  the  do 
mestic  animals  of  the  new  settlers,  yield  a  considerable  quan 
tity  of  sap  as  soon  as  their  trunks  and  limbs  feel  the  rays  of  the 
Sun  in  the  spring  of  the  year. 

It  is  in  consequence  of  the  sap  of  these  trees  being  equal 
ly  diffused  through  every  part  of  them,  that  they  live  three 
years  after  they  are  girdled,  that  is,  after  a  circular  incision 
is  made  through  the  bark  into  the  substance  of  the  tree  for  the 
purpose  of  destroying  it. 

It  is  remarkable  that  grass  thrives  better  under  this  tree 
in  a  meadow,  than  in  situations  exposed  to  the  constant  action 
of  the  Sun. 

Nn 


274  AN'    ACCOUNT    OF 

The  season  for  tapping  the  trees  is  in  February,  March,  and 
April,  according  to  the  weather  which  occurs  in  these  months'! 

Warm  clays  and  frosty  nights  are  most  favourable  to  a  plen 
tiful  discharge  of  sap.*  The  quantity  obtained  in  a  day  from 
a  tree,  is  from  five  gallons  to  a  pint,  according  to  the  greater 
or  less  heat  of  the  air.  Mr.  Low,  informed  Arthur  Noble, 
Esq.  that  he  obtained  near  three  and  twenty  gallons  of  sap  in 
one  day  (April  14,  1789.)  from  the  single  tree  which  was  be 
fore  mentioned.  Such  instances  of  a  profusion  of  sap  in  single 
trees  are  however  not  very  common. 

There  is  always  a  suspension  of  the  discharge  of  sap  in  the 
night  if  a  frost  succeed  a  warm  day.  The  perforation  in  the 
tree  is  made  with  an  axe  or  an  auger.  The  latter  is  prefer- 
cd  from  experience  of  its  advantages.  The  auger  is  introdu 
ced  about  three-quarters  of  an  inch)  and  in  an  ascending  di 
rection  (that  the  sap  may  not  be  frozen  in  a  slow  current  in 
the  mornings  or  evenings)  and  is  afterwards  depened  gra 
dually  to  the  extent  of  two  inches.  A  spout  is  introduced 
about  half  an  inch  into  the  hole,  made  by  this  auger,  and  pro 
jects  from  three  to  twelve  inches  from  the  tree.  The  spout 

*  The  influence  of  the  weather  in  increasing  and  lessen 
ing  the  discharge  of  the  sap  from  trees  is  very  remarkable. 

Dr.  Tongue  supposed,  long  ago,  (Philosophical  Transac 
tions,  No.  68)  that  changes  in  the  weather  of  every  kind  might 
be  better  ascertained  by  the  discharges  of  sap  from  trees 
than  by  weather  glasses.  I  have  seen  a  journal  of  the  ef 
fects  of  heat,  cold,  moisture,  drought  and  thunder  upon  the 
discharges  from  the  sugar  trees,  which  disposes  me  to  be 
lieve  there  is  some  foundation  for  Dr.  Tongue's  opinion. 


THE    SUGAR    MAPLE-TREE.  275 

is  general  made  of  the  Sumach  (a)  or  Elder,  (b)  which  com 
monly  grow  in  the  neighbourhood  of  the  sugar  trees.  The 
tree  is  first  tapped  on  the  South  side  ;  when  the  discharge  of 
its  sap  begins  to  lesson,  an  opening  is  made  on  its  North  side, 
from  which  an  increased  discharge  takes  place.  The  sap 
flows  from  four  to  six  weeks,  according  to  the  temperature  of 
the  weather.  Troughs  large  enough  to  contain  three  or  four 
gallons  made  of  white  pine,  or  white  ash,  or  of  dried  water 
ash,  aspen,  linden,  poplar,  (c)  or  common  maple,  are  placed 
under  the  spout,  to  receive  the  sap,  which  is  carried  every  day 
to  a  large  receiver,  made  of  either  of  the  trees  before  men 
tioned.  From  this  receiver  it  is  conveyed,  after  being  strain 
ed,  to  the  boiler. 

To  preserve  the  sap  from  rain  and  impurities  of  all  kinds, 
it  is  a  good  practice  to  cover  the  troughs  with  a  concave  board, 
with  a  hole  in  the  middle  of  it. 

It  remains  yet  to  be  determined  whether  some  artificial 
heat  may  be  applied  so  as  to  increase  the  quantity  and  im 
prove  the  quality  of  the  sap.  Mr.  Noble  informed  me,  that 
he  saw  a  tree,  under  which  a  farmer  had  accidently  burnt 
some  brush,  which  dropped  a  thick  heavy  syrup  resembling 
molasses.  This  fact  may  probably  lead  to  something  useful 
hereafter. 

During  the  remaining  pait  of  the  spring  months,  as  also  in 
the  Summer,  and  in  the  beginning  of  Autumn,  the  Maple 
Tree  yields  a  thin  sap,  but  not  fit  for  the  manufactory  of  su 
gar.  It  affords  a  pleasant  drink  in  harvest,  and  has  been  used 


(a)  Rims,  (b)  Sambucus  canadensis.  (c)  Liriodendron  Tuli- 
pifera. 


276  AN    ACCOUNT    OF 

instead  of  mm,  in  some  instances  by  those  farmers  in  Connecti 
cut,  whose  ancestors  have  left  to  them  here,  and  there,  a  sugar 
maple  tree,  (probably  to  shade  their  cattle,)  in  all  their  fields, 
Mr.  Bruce  describes  a  drink,  of  the  same  kind  prepared  by  the 
inhabitants  of  Egypt,  by  infusing  the  sugar  cane  in  water,  which 
he  declares  to  be  "the  most  refreshing  drink  in^the  world."* 

There  are  three  methods  of  reduceing  the  sap  to  sugar. 

1  •  By  freezing  it ;  this  method  has  been  tried  for  many- 
years,  by  Mr-  Obediah  Scott,  a  farmer  in  Luzerne  county  in  this 
state,  with  great  success.  He  says  that  one  half  of  a  given 
quantity  of  sap  reduced  in  this  way,  is  better  than  one-third 
of  the  same  quantity  reduced  by  boiling.  If  the  frost  should 
not  be  intense  enough,  to  reduce  the  sap  to  the  graining 
point,  it  may  afterwards  be  exposed  to  the  action  of  the  fir^ 
for  that  purpose. 

2.  By  spontaneous  evaporation.  The  hollow  stump  of  a 
maple-sugar  tree,  which  had  been  cut  down  in  the  spring., 
and  which  was  found  sometime  afterwards  filled  with  sugar, 
first  suggested  this  method  of  obtaining  sugar  to  our  farmers. 
So  many  circumstances  of  cold  and  dry  weather,  large  and 


*  Baron  La  Hontan,  gives  the  following  account  of  the  sap 
of  the  sugar  maple-tree,  when  used  as  a  drink,  and  of  the 
manner  of  obtaining  it ,  "  The  tree  yields  a  sap  which  has  a 
much  pleasanter  taste  than  the  best  lemonade  or  cherry  wa 
ter,  and  makes  the  wholesomest  drink  in  the  world.  Thip 
liquor  is  drawn  by  cutting  the  tree  two  inches  deep  in  the 
wood,  the  cut  being  made  sloping  to  the  length  of  ten  or 
twelve  inches  ;  at  the  lower  end  of  this  gash,  a  knife  is  thrust 
into- the  tree  slopingly,  so  that  the  water  runs  along  the  cut  or 
gash,  as  through  a  gutter  and  falls  upon  the  knife,  which  has 
some  vessels  placed  underneath  to  receive  it.  Some  trees 


THE    SUGAR    MAPLE  TREK.  277 

Eat  vessels,  and  above  all  so  much  time  are  necessary  to'ob- 
fcdn  sugar,  by  either  of  the  above  methods,  that  the  most  gene 
ral  method  among  our  farmers  is  to  obtain  it, 

3.  By  boiling.  For  this  purpose  the  following  facts  which 
have  been  ascertained  by  many  experiments,  deserve  atten 
tion. 

1.  The  sooner  the  sap  is  boiled,  after  it  is  collected  from 
the  tree,   the  better.     It  should  never  be  kept  longer  than 
twenty  four  hours,  before  it  is  put  over  the  fire. 

2.  The  larger  the  vessel  in  which  the  sap  is  boiled,  the 
more  sugar  is  obtained  from  it. 

3.  A  copper  vessel  affords  a  sugar  of  a  fairer  colour  tha» 
an  iron  vessel. 

The  sap  flows  into  wooden  troughs  from  which  it  is  carried 
and  poured  into  stone  troughs  or  large  cisterns  in  the  shape 
of  a  canoe  or  large  manger  made  of  white  ash,  linden,  bass 
wood,  or  white  pinp,  from  which  it  is  conveyed  to  the  kettle 
in  which  it  is  to  be  boiled.  These  cisterns,  as  well  as  the 
kettle,  are  generally  covered  by  a  shed  to  defend  the  sap 


will  yield  five  or  six  bottles  of  this  water  in  a  day,  and  some 
inhabitants  of  Canada  might  draw1  twenty  hogsheads  of  it  in 
one  day,  if  they  would  thus  cut  and  notch  all  the  maple  trees 
of  their  respective  plantations.  The  gash  does  no  harm  to  the 
tree.  Of  this  sap  they  make  sugar  and  syrup  which  is  so 
valuable  that  there  can  ]be  no  better  remedy  for  fortifying  the 
stomach.  'Tis  but  few  of  the  inhabitants  that  have  the  patience 
to  make  them,  for  as  common  things  are  slighted,  so  there 
are  scarce  any  body,  but  children  that  give  themselves  the 
trouble  of  gashing  these  trees." 


A!C    ACCOUNT    OF 

from  the  rain.  The  sugar  is  improved  by  straining  the  sap 
through  a  blanket  or  cloth,  either  before  or  after  it  is  half 
boiled.  Butter,  hogs-lard,  or  tallow  are  added  to  the  sap  in 
the  kettle  to  prevent  its  boiling  over,  and  lime,  eggs  or  new 
milk  are  mixed  with  it  in  order  to  clarify  it.  IJiave  seen 
clear  sugar  made  without  the  addition  of  either  of  them. 
A  spoonful  of  slack  lime,  the  white  of  one  egg,  and  a  pint 
of  new -milk  are  the  usual  proportions  of  these  articles  which 
are  mixed  with  fifteen  gallons  of  sap.  In  some  samples 
which  I  have  lately  seen  of  maple-sugar  clarified  with  each 
of  the  above  articles,  that,  in  which  milk  alone  was  used,  had 
an  evident  superiority  over  the  others,  in  point  of  colour. 

The  sugar  after  being  sufficiently  boiled,  is  grained  and 
clayed,  and  afterwards  refined,  or  converted  into  loaf  sugar.  The 
methods  of  conducting  each  of  these  processes  is  so  nearly 
the  same  with  those  which  are  used  in  the  manufactory  of 
West-India  sugar,  and  are  so  generally  known,  that  I  need 
not  spend  any  time  in  describing  them. 

It  has  been  a  subject  of  enquiry  whether  the  maple  sugar 
might  not  be  improved  in  its  quality  and  increased  in  its 
quantity  by  the  establishment  of  boiling  houses  in  the  sugar 
maple  country  to  be  conducted  by  associated  labor.  From  the 
scattered  situation  of  the  trees,  the  difficulty  of  carrying  the 
sap  to  a  great  distance,  and  from  the  many  expenses  which 
must  accrue  from  supporting  labourers  and  horses  in  the 
M  oods  in  a  season  of  the  year  in  which  nature  affords  no  sus- 
r<:iiance  to  man  or  beast,  I  am  disposed  to  believe,  that 
the  most  productive  method,  both  in  quantity  and  profit,  of  ob- 
?:iiiimg  this  sugar  will  be  by  the  labour  of  private  families. 
Tor  a.  great  number  of  years  many  hundred  private  families 
in  New-York  and  Pennsylvania  have  supplied  themselves 


THE    SUGAR    MAPLE-TREE. 

plentifully  with  this  sugar  during  the  whole  year.  I  have 
heard  of  many  families  who  have  made  from  two  to  four 
hundred  pounds  in  a  year ;  and  of  one  man  who  sold  six  hun 
dred  pounds,  all  made  with  his  own  hands  in  one  season.* 

Not  more  knowledge  is  necessary  for  making  this  sugar 
than  is  required  to  make  soap,  cyder,  beer,  sour-crout,  Sec. 
and  yet  one  or  all  of  these  are  made  in  most  of  the  farm  houses 
of  the  United  States.  The  kettles  and  other  utensils  of  a 
farmer's  kitchen,  will  serve  most  of  the  purposes  of  making 
sugar,  and  the  time  required  for  the  labor,  (if  it  deserves  that 
name)  is  at  a  season  when  it  is  impossible  for  the  farmer  to 
employ  himself  in  any  species  of  agriculture.  His  wife  and 
all  his  children  above  ten  years  of  age,  moreover  may  assist 
him  in  this  business,  for  the  profit  of  the  weakest  of  them  is 
nearly  equal  to  that  of  a  man,  when  hired  for  that  purpose. 

A  comparative  view  of  this  sugar  has  been  frequently  made 
with  the  .sugar  which  is  obtained  from  the  West-India  sugar 
cane,  with  respect  to  its  quality,  price,  and  the  possible  or 
probable  quantity  that  can  be  made  of  it  in  the  United  States, 
each  of  which  I  shall  consider  in  order. 


*  The  following  receipts  published  by  William  Cooper, 
Esq.  in  the  Albany  Gazette,  fully  establishes  this  fact. 

u  Received,  Cooper's  Town,  April  30th,  1790,  of  William 
Cooper,  sixteen  pounds,  for  six  hundred  and  forty  pounds  of 
sugar  made  with  my  own  hands,  without  any  assistance  in  less 
than  four  weeks,  besides  attending  to  the  other  business  of 
my  farm,  as  providing  fire  wood,  taking  care  of  the  cattle. 
&c.  John  NichoUs.  Witness  II.  Smith. 

A  single  family,  consisting  of  a  man  and  his  two  sons,  on 
the  maple  sugar  lands  between  the  Delaware  and  Susque- 
hannah  made  ISQOlb,  of  maple  sugar  in  one  season. 


280  AN    ACCOUNT    OF 

1.  The  quality  of  this  sugar  is  necessarily  better  than  that 
which  is  made  in  the  West  Indies.  It  is  prepared  in  a  sea 
son  when  not  a  single  insect  exists  to  feed  upon  it,  or  to  mix 
its  excretions  with  it,  and  before  a  particle  of  dust  or  of  the 
pollen  of  plants  can  float  in  the  air.  The  same  observation 
cannot  be  applied  to  the  West  India  sugar.  The  insects  and 
worms  which  prey  upon  it,  and  of  course  mix  with  it,  com 
pose  a  page  in  a  nomenclature  of  natural  history.  I  shall  say 
nothing  of  the  hands  which  are  employed  in  making  sugar 
in  the  West  Indies,  but,  that  men  who  work  for  the  exclusive 
benefit  of  others,  are  not  under  the  same  obligations  to  keep 
their  persons  clean  while  they  are  employed  in  this  work,  that 
men  women  and  children  are,  who  work  exclusively  for  the 
benefit  of  themselves,  and  who  have  been  educated  in  the  hab 
its  of  cleanliness.  The  superior  purity  of  the  maple  sugar  is 
farther  proved  by  its  leaving  a  less  sediment,  when  dis 
solved  in  water,  than  the  West  India  sugar. 

It  has  been  supposed  that  the  maple  sugar  is  inferior  to 
to  the  West  India  sugar  in  strength.  The  experiments  which 
led  to  this  opinion,  I  suspect  have  been  inaccurate,  or  have 
been  made  with  maple  sugar,  prepared  in  a  slovenly  manner. 
I  have  examined  equal  quantities,  by  weight,  of  both  the 
grained  and  the  loaf  sugar,  in  hyson  tea,  and  in  coffee,  made 
in  every  respect  equal  by  the  minutest  circumstances  that 
could  effect  the  quality  or  taste  of  each  of  them,  and  could 
percieve  no  inferiority  in  the  strength  of  the  maple  sugar. 
The  liquors  which  decided  this  question  were  examined  at 
the  same  time,  by  Alexander  Hamilton,  Esq.  Secretary  of 
the  Treasury  of  the  United  States,  Mr.  Henry  Drinker,'  and 
several  Ladies,  who  all  concurred  in  the  above  opinion. 

2.  Whoever  considers  that  the  gift  of  the  sugar  maple  trees 
is  from  a  benevolent  Providence,  that  we  have  many  millions 


THE    SUGAR    MAPLE-TREE.  281 

of  acres  in  our  country  covered  with  them,  that  the  tree  is 
improved  by  repeated  tappings,  and  that  the  sugar  is  obtain 
ed  by  the  frugal  labour  of  a  farmer's  family,  and  at  the 
same  time  considers  the  labour  of  cultivating  the  sugar  cane, 
the  capitals  sunk  in  sugar  works,  the  first  cost  of  slaves  and 
cattle,  the  expenses  of  provisions  for  both  of  them,  and  in 
some  instances  the  additional  expence  of  conveying  the  sugar 
to  a  market,  in  all  the  West  India  islands,  will  not  hesitate 
in  believing  that  the  maple  sugar  may  be  manufactured  much 
cheaper,  and  sold  at  a  less  price  than  that  which  is  made  in 
the  West  Indies. 

3.  The  resources  for  making  a  sufficient  quantity  of  this 
sugar  not  only  for  the  consumption  of  the  United  States,  but 
for  exportation,  will  appear  from  the  following  facts.  There 
are  in  the  states  of  New- York  and  Pennsylvania  alone  at 
least  ten  millions  of  acres  of  land  which  produce  the  sugar 
maple -tree,  in  the  proportion  of  thirty  trees  to  one  acre. 
Now,  supposing  all  the  persons  capable  of  labour  in  a  family 
to  consist  of  three,  and  each  person  to  attend  150  trees  and 
each  tree  to  yield  5lbs.  of  sugar  in  a  season,  the  product  of 
the  labour  of  60,000  families  would  be  135,OjOO,000  pounds  of 
sugar,  and  allowing  the  inhabitants  of  the  United  States  to 
compose  600,000  families,  each  of  which  consumed  200 
pounds  of  sugar  in  a  year,  the  whole  consumption  would  be 
120,000,000  pounds  in  a  year,  which  would  leave  a  balance 
of  15,000,000  pounds  for  exportation.  Valuing  the  sugar  at 
6-90  of  a  dollar  per  pound,  the  sum  saved  to  the  United 
States  would  be  8,000,000  dollars  by  home  consumption,  and 
the  sum  gained  by  exportation  would  be,  1,000,000  dollars. 
The  only  part  of  this  calculation  that  will  appear  improbable 
is,  the  number  of  families  supposed  to  be  employed  in  the 

O  o 


'8-  AN  .ACCOUNT    OF 

the  manufactory  of  the  sugar,  but  the  difficulty  of  admitting 
this  supposition  will  vanish  when  we  consider,  that  double 
that  number  of  families  are  employed  every  year,  in  making 
cyder,  the  trouble,  risks  and  expences  of  which  are  all  much 
greater  than  those  of  making  maple-sugar. 

But  the  profit  of  the  maple  tree  is  not  confined  to  its  sugar. 
It  affords  a.  most  agreeable  molasses,  and  an  excellent 
vinegar.  The  sap  which  is  suitable  for  these  purposes  is 
obtained  after  the  sap  which  affords  the  sugar  has  ceased  to 
ilow,  so  that  the  manufactories  of  these  different  products  of 
the  maple  tree,  by  succeeding,  do  not  interfere  with  each 
other.  The  molasses  may  be  made  to  compose  the  basis  of 
a  pleasant  summer  beer.  The  sap  of  the  maple  is  moreover 
capable  of  affording  a  spirit,  but  we  hope  this  precious  juice 
will  never  be  prostituted  by  our  citizens  to  this  ignoble  pur 
pose.  Should  the  use  of  sugar  in  diet  become  more  general 
in  our  country,  it  may  tend  to  lessen  the  inclination  or  sup 
posed  necessity  for  spirits,  for  I  have  observed  a  relish  for 
sugar  in  diet  to  be  seldom  accompanied  by  a  love  for  strong 
drink.  It  is  the  sugar  which  is  mixed  with  tea  which  makes 
it  so  generally  disagreeable  to  drunkards.  But  a  diet,  con 
sisting  of  a  plentiful  mixture  of  sugar  has  other  advantages 
to  recommend  it,  which  I  shall  briefly  enumerate  : 

1 .  Sugar  affords  the  greatest  quantity  of  nourishment  in 
a  given  quantity  of  matter  of  any  substance  in  nature  j  of 
course  it  may  be  preserved  in  less  room  in  our  houses,  and 
and  may  be  consumed  in  less  time,  than  more  bulky  and 
and  less  nourishing  aliment.  It  has  this  peculiar  advantage 
over  most  kinds  of  aliment,  that  it  is  not  liable  to  have  its 
nutritious  qualities  affected  by  time  or  the  weather;  hence  it 
is  preferred  by  the  Indians  in  their  excursions  from  home 


THE    SUGAR    MAPLE-TREE.  283 

They  mix  a  certain  quantity  cf  maple  sugar,  with  an  equal 
quantity  of  Indian  corn,  dried  and  powdered,  in  its  milky 
state.  This  mixture  is  packed  in  little  baskets,  which  are 
frequently  wetted  in  travelling,  without  injuring  the  sugar. 
A  few  spoons  full  of  it  mixed  with  half  a  pint  of  spring  water, 
afford  them  a  pleasant  and  strengthening  meal.  From  the 
degrees  of  strength  and  nourishment,  which  are  conveyed 
into  animal  bodies  by  a  small  bulk  of  sugar,  I  concieve  it 
might  be  given  to  horses  with  great  advantage,  when  they 
are  used  in  circumstances  which  make  it  difficult  or  expen 
sive  to  support  them,  with  more  bulky  or  weighty  aliment. 
A  pound  of  sugar  with  grass  or  hay,  I  have  been  told,  has 
supported  the  strength  and  spirits  of  an  horse,  during  a 
whole  day's  labour  in  one  of  the  West-India  Islands.  A 
larger  quantity  given  alone,  has  fattened  horses  and  cattle, 
during'the  war  before  last  in  Hispaniola,  for  a  period  of  several 
months,  in  which  the  exportation  of  sugar,  and  the  importa 
tion  of  grain,  were  prevented  by  the  want  of  ships. 

2.  The  plentiful  use  of  sugar  in  diet,  is  one  of  the  best 
preventives  that  has  ever  been  discovered  of  the  diseases 
which  are   produced  by   worms.     The  Author   of  Nature 
seems  to  have  implanted  a  love  for  this  aliment  in  all  children, 
as  if  it  were  on  purpose  to  defend  them  from  those  diseases. 
I  know  a  gentleman  in  Philadelphia,  who  early  adopted  this 
opinion,  and  who  by  indulging  a  large  family  of  children,  in 
the  use  of  sugar,  has  preserved  them  all  from  the  diseases 
usually  occasioned  by  worms. 

3.  Sir  John  Pringle  has  remarked,  that  the  plague  has 
never  been  known  in  any  country  where   sugar  composes  a 
material  part  of  the  diet  of  the  inhabitants.     I  think  it  pro 
bable,  that  the  frequency  of  malignant  fevers  of  all  kinds  has 


-84  AN    ACCOUNT    OF 

been  lessened  by  this  diet,  and  that  its  more  general  use 
would  defend  that  class  of  people,  who  are  most  subject  to 
malignant  fevers,  from  being  so  often  affected  by  them. 

4.  In  the  numerous  and  frequent  disorders  of  the  breast, 
which  occur  in  all  countries,  where  the  body  is  exposed  to  a 
variable  temperature  of  weather,  sugar  affords  the  basis  of 
many  agreeable  remedies.  It  is  useful  in  weaknesses,  and 
acrid  4en<uxions  uPon  other  parts  of  the  body.  Many 
facts  might  be  adduced  in  favour  of  this  assertion.  I 
shall  mention  only  one,  which  from  the  venerable  name  of 
the  person,  whose  case  furnished  it,  cannot  fail  of  command 
ing  attention  and  credit-  Upon  my  enquiring  of  Dr.  Frank 
lin,  at  the  request  of  a  friend,  about  a  year  before  he  died, 
whether  he  had  found  any  relief  from  the  pain  of  the  stone, 
from  the  Blackberry-Jam,  of  which  he  took  large  quantities, 
he  told  me  that  he  had,  but  that  he  believed  the  medicinal 
part  of  the  jam,  resided  wholly  in  the  sugar,  and  as  a  reason 
for  thinking  so,  he  added,  that  he  often  found  the  same  relief, 
by  taking  about  half  a  pint  of  a  syrup,  prepared  by  boiling  a 
little  brown  sugar  in  water,  just  before  he  went  to  bed,  that 
he  did  from  a  dose  of  opium.  It  has  been  supposed  by  some 
of  the  early  physicians  of  our  country,  that  the  sugar  obtained 
from  the  maple  tree,  is  more  medicinal,  than  that  obtained 
from  the  West-India  sugar  cane,  but  this  opinion  I  believe 
is  without  foundation.  It  is  preferrable  in  its  qualities  to  the 
West-India  sugar  only  from  its  superior  cleanliness. 

Cases  may  occur  in   which   sugar  may   be    required  in 
medicine,  or  in  diet,  by  persons  who  refuse  to  be  benefited^ 


THE    SUGAR    MAPLE-TREE.  285 

even  indirectly  by  the  labour  of  slaves,.     In  such  cases,  the 
innocent  maple  sugar  will  always  be  preferred*. 

It  has  been  said,  that  sugar  injures  the  teeth,  but  this 
opinion  now  has  so  few  advocates,  that  it  does  not  deserve  a 
serious  refutation. 

To  transmit  to  future  generations,  all  the  advantages 
which  have  been  enumerated  from  the  maple  tree,  it  will  be 
necessary  to  protect  it  by  law,  or  by  a  bounty  upon  the 
maple  sugar,  from  being  destroyed  by  the  settlers  in  the 
maple  country,  or  to  transplant  it  from  the  woods,  and  cul 
tivate  it  in  the  old  and  improved  parts  of  the  United  States,. 
An  orchard  consisting  of  200  trees,  planted  upon  a  common 
farm  would  yield  more  than  the  same  number  of  apple  trees, 
at  a  distance  from  a  market  town.  A  full  grown  tree  in  the 
woods  yields  five  pounds  of  sugar  a  year.  If  a  greater  ex 
posure  of  a  tree  to  the  action  of  the  sun,  has  the  same  effect* 
upon  the  maple,  that  it  has  upon  other  trees,  a  larger  quan 
tity  of  sugar  might  reasonably  be  expected  from  each  tree 
planted  in  an  orchard.  Allowing  it  to  be  only  seven  pounds, 
then  200  trees  will  yield  1400  pounds  of  sugar,  and  deduct 
ing  200  from  the  quantity,  for  the  consumption  of  the 
family,  there  will  remain  for  sale  1200  pounds  which  at  6-90 
of  a  dollar  per  pound  will  yield  an  annual  profit  to  the  farmer 


*  Dr.  Knowles,  a  physician  of  worthy  character  in  London, 
had  occasion  to  recommend  a  diet  to  a  patient,  of  which  sugar 
composed  a  material  part.  His  patient  refused  to  submit  to 
his  prescription,  and  gave  as  a  reason  for  it,  that  he  had 
witnessed  so  much  of  the  oppression  and  cruelty  which  were 
exercised  upon  the  slaves,  who  made  the  sugar,  that  he  had 
made  a  vow  never  to  taste  the  product  of  their  misery  as  long; 
as  he  lived. 


86  AN    ACCOUNT    OF 

of  80  dollars.  But  it' it  should  be  found  that  the  shade  of  the 
maple  does  not  check  the  growth  of  grain  any  more  than  it 
does  of  grass,  double  or  treble  that  number  of  maple  trees 
may  be  planted  on  every  farm,  and  a  profit  proportioned  to 
the  above  calculation  be  derived  from  them.  Should  this 
mode  of  transplanting  the  means  of  obtaining  sugar  be 
successful,  it  will  not  be  a  new  one.  The  sugar  cane  of  the 
West-Indies,  was  brought  originally  from  the  East-Indies, 
by  the  Portuguese,  and  cultivated  at  Madeira,  from  whence 
it  was  transplanted  directly  or  indirectly,  to  all  the  sugar 
Islands  of  the  West-Indies. 

It  wrre  to  be  wished,  that  the  settlers  upon  the  sugar 
maple  lands,  wonld  spare  the  sugar  tree  in  clearing  their 
tends.  On  a  farm  of  200  acres  of  land,  according  to  our 
former  calculation,  there  are  usually  6,000  maple  trees.  If 
only  2,000  of  those  original  and  ancient  inhabitants  of  the 
-woods,  were  suffered  to  remain,  and  each  tree  were  to  afford 
only  five  pounds  of  sugar,  the  annual  profit  of  such  a  farm  in 
sugar  alone,  at  the  price  formerly  mentioned,  would  amount 
to  666  dollars,  15O  dollars  of  which  would  probably  more 
than  defray  all  the  expences  of  making  it,  and  allow  a  plen 
tiful  deduction  for  family  use. 

According  to  the  usual  annual  profit  of  a  sugar  maple  tree, 
each  tree  is  worth  to  a  farmer,  two  dollars  and  2-3  of  a  dol 
lar;  exclusive  therefore  of  the  value  of  his  farm,  the  2,000 
sugar  maple  trees  alone  confer  a  value  upon  it  of  5,330  dol 
lars  and  33-90  of  a  dollar. 

It  is  said,  that  the  sugar  trees  when  deprived  of  the  shelter 
and  support  they  derive  from  other  forest  trees,  arc  liable  to 
be  blown  down,  occasioned  by  their  growing  in  a  rich,  and 


THE    SUGAR    MAPLE-TREE.  28F 

of  course,  a  loose  soil.  To  obviate  this,  it  will  only  be  neces 
sary  to  cut  off  some  of  their  branches,  so  as  to  alter  its  center 
of  gravity,  and  to  allow  the  high  winds  to  have  an  easy  pas 
sage  through  them.  Orchards  of  sugar  maple  trees,  which 
grow  with  an  original  exposure  of  all  their  parts  to  the  action 
of  the  sun,  will  not  be  liable  to  this  inconvenience. 

In  contemplating  the  present  opening  prospects  in  human 
affairs,  I  am  led  to  expect  that  a  material  share  of  the  hap 
piness,  which  Heaven  seems  to  have  prepared  for  a  part  of 
mankind,  will  be  derived  from  the  manufactory  and  general 
use  of  maple  sugar,  for  the  benefits  which  I  flatter  myself 
are  to  result  from  it,  will  not  be  confined  to  our  own  country. 
They  will,  I  hope,  extend  themselves  to  the  interests  of 
humanity  in  the  West-Indies.  With  this  view  of  the  sub 
ject  of  this  letter,  I  cannot  help  contemplating  a  sugar 
maple  tree  with  a  species  of  affection  and  even  veneration, 
ipr  I  have  persuaded  myself,  to  behold  in  it  the  happy  means 
of  rendering  the  commerce  and  slavery  of  our  African 
brethren,  in  the  sugar  Islands  as  unnecessary,  as  it  has, 
always  been  inhuman  and  unjust. 

From,  dear  Sir,  your  sincere  friend, 

BENJAMIN  RUSH. 

July  iOth,  1791, 


AN     ACCOUNT     OF     THE      LIFE      AND      DEATH      OF      EDWARD 

DRINKER,    WHO    DIED    ON    THE    17TH    OF     NOVEMBER, 

1782,    IN    THE     103RD.    YEAR    OF    HIS    AGE. 


EDWARD  DRINKER  was  born  on  the  24th.  of 
December,  1680,  in  a  small  cabbin,  near  the  present 
corner  of  Walnut  and  Second-streets,  in  the  city  of  Philadel 
phia.  His  parents  came  from  a  place  called  Beverly,  in  the 
state  of  Massachusetts.  The  banks  of  the  Delaware,  on  which 
the  city  of  Philadelphia  now  stands,  were  inhabited,  at  the 
time  of  his  birth,  by  Indians,  and  a  few  Swedes  and  Hol 
landers.  He  often  talked  to  his  companions  of  picking 
whortle  berries  and  catching  rabbits,  on  spots  now  the  most 
improved  and  populous  in  the  city.  He  recollected  the 
second  time  William  Penn  came  to  Pennsylvania,  and  used 
to  point  to  the  place  where  the  cabbin  stood,  in  which  he, 
and  his  friends,  that  accompanied  him,  were  accommodated 
upon  their  arival.  At  twelve  years  of  age,  he  went  to  Boston, 
where  he  served  his  apprenticeship  to  a  cabinet  maker.  In 
the  year  1745,  he  returned  to  Philadelphia,  with  his  family, 
where  he  lived  until  the  time  of  his  death.  He  was  four  times 
married,  and  had  eighteen  children,  all  of  whom  were  by  his 
first  wife.  At  one  time  of  his  life,  he  sat  down,  at  his  own 
table,  with  fourteen  children.  Not  long  before  his  death  he 
heard  of  the  birth  of  a  grand-child,  to  one  of  his  grand-chil 
dren,  the  fifth  in  succession  to  himself. 

He  retained  all  his  faculties  till  the   last  year  of  his  life. 
Even  his  memory,  so  early  and  so  generally  diminished  by 


AN    ACCOUNT    OF    THE    LIFE    OF    E.    DRINKER.  289 

age  was  but  little  impaired.  He  not  only  remembered  the 
incidents  of  his  childhood  and  youth*,  but  the  events  of  latter 
years  ;  and  so  faithful  was  his  memory  to  him,  that  his  son 
has  informed  me  he  never  heard  him  tell  the  same  story 
twice,  but  to  different  persons,  and  in  different  companies. 
His  eye-sight  failed  him,  many  years  before  his  death,  but 
his  hearing  was  uniformly  perfect  and  unimpaired.  His  ap 
petite  was  good  till  within  a  few  days  before  his  death.  He 
generally  ate  a  hearty  breakfast  of  a  pint  of  tea  or  coffee,  as 
soon  as  he  got  out  of  his  bed,  with  bread  and  butter  in  pro- 


*  It  is  remarkable   that  the  incidents  of  childhood  ancf 
youth  are  seldom  remembered  or  called  forth  until  old  age. 
I  have  sometimes  been  led,  from  this  and  other  circumstan 
ces,  to  suspect  that  nothing  is  ever  lost  that  is  lodged  in  the 
memory,  however  it  may  be  buried  for  a  time  by  a  variety  of 
causes.     How  often  do  we  find  the  transactions  of  early  life, 
which  we  had  reason  to  suppose  were  lost  from  the  mind  foT 
ever,  revived  in  our  memories  by  certain  accidental  sights  or 
sounds,  particularly  by  certain  notes  or  airs    in  music.      I 
have  known  a  young  man  speak  French  fluently  when  drunk, 
that  could  not  put  two  sentences  of  that  language  together, 
when  sober.     He  had  been  taught  it  perfectly,  when  a  boy, 
but  had;  forgotten  it  from  disuse.     A  French   countess  was 
nursed  by  a  Welsh  woman,  from  whom  she  learned  to  speak 
her  language,  which  she  soon  forgot,  after  she  had  acquired 
the  French,  which  was  her  mother  tongue.     In  the  delirium 
of  a  fever,  many  years  afterwards,  she  Was  heard  to  mutter 
words  which  none  of  her  family  or  attendants  understood, 
An  old  Welsh  woman  came  to  see  her,  who  soon  perceived 
that  the  sounds  which  were  so  unintelligible  to  the  family, 
were  the  Welsh  language.     When  she  recovered,  she  could 
not  recollect  a  single  word  of  the  language,  she  had  spoken 
in  her  sickness.     I   can  conceive  great  advantages  may  be 
derived  from  this  retentive  power  in  our  memories,  in  the 
advancement  of  the   mind  towards  perfection  in  knowledge 
(so  essential  to  its  happiness)  in  a  future  world. 


290  AN    ACCOUNT    OF    THE    LIFE    AND    DEATH 

portion.  He  ate  likewise  at  eleven  o'clock,  and  never  failed 
to  eat  plentifully  at  dinner  of  the  grossest  solid  food.  He 
drank  tea,  in  the  evening,  but  never  ate  any  supper :  he  had 
lost  all  his  teeth  thirty  years  before  his  death,  which  was  oc 
casioned,  his  son  says,  by  drawing  excessive  hot  smoke  of 
tobacco  into  his  mouth  :  but  the  want  of  suitable  mastication 
of  his  food,  did  not  prevent  its  speedy  digestion,  nor  impair 
his  health.  Whether  the  gums,  hardened  by  age,  supplied 
the  place  of  his  teeth  in  a  certain  degree,  or  whether  the 
juices  of  the  mouth  and  stomach  became  so  much  more  acrid 
by  time,  as  to  perform  the  office  of  dissolving  the  food  more 
speedily  and  more  perfectly,  I  know  not,  but  I  have  often 
observed,  that  old  people  are  most  disposed  to  excessive  eat 
ing,  and  that  they  suffer  fewest  inconveniences  from  it.  He 
was  inquisitive  after  news  in  the  last  years  of  his  life.  His 
education  did  not  lead  him  to  increase  the  stock  of  his  ideas 
any  other  way.  But  it  is  a  fact  well  worth  attending  to,  that 
old  age,  instead  of  diminishing,  always  increases  the  desire 
of  knowledge.  It  must  afford  some  consolation  to  those  who 
expect  to  be  old,  to  discover,  that  the  infirmities  to  which  the 
decays  of  nature  expose  the  human  body,  are  rendered  more 
tolerable  by  the  enjoyments  that  are  to  be  derived  from  the 
appetite  for  sensual  and  intellectual  food. 

He  was  remarkably  sober  and  temperate.  Neither  hard 
labour,  nor  company,  nor  the  usual  afflictions  of  human  life, 
nor  the  wastes  of  nature,  ever  led  him  to  an  improper  or  ex 
cessive  use  of  strong  drink.  For  the  last  twenty-five  years 
of  his  life,  he  drank  twice  every  day  of  toddy,  made  with  two 
table  spoonfuls  of  spirit,  in  half  a  pint  of  water.  His  son,  a 
man  of  fifty-nine  years  of  age,  told  me  that  he  had  never 
seen  him  intoxicated.  The  time  and  manner  in  which  he 
used  spiritous  liquors,  I  believe,  contributed  to  lighten  the 


OF    EDWARD     I>R1NKER.  291 

weight  of  his  years,  and  probably  to  prolong- his  life.  u  Give 
wine  to  him  that  is  of  a  heavy  heart,  and  strong  drink  to  him 
that  is  ready  to  perish  with  age,  as  well  as  with  sickness. 
Let  him  drink  and  forget  his  sorrow,  and  remember  his 
misery  no  more." 

He  enjoyed  an  uncommon  share  of  health,  insomuch  that 
in  the  course  of  his  long  life  he  never  was  confined  more  than 
three  days  to  his  bed.  He  often  declared  that  he  had  no  idea 
of  that  most  distressing  pain  called  the  head  ache.  His  sleep 
was  interrupted  a  little  in  the  last  years  of  his  life  with  a 
defluxion  on  his  breast,  which  produced  what  is  commonly 
called  the  old  man's  cough. 

The  character  of  this  aged  citizen  was  not  summed  up  in 
his  negative  quality  of  temperance  :  he  was  a  man  of  the 
mast  amiable  temper :  old  age  had  not  curdled  his  blood ;  he 
was  uniformly  cheerful  and  kind  to  every  body ;  his  religious 
principles  were  as  steady  as  his  morals  were  pure.  He 
attended  public  worship  about  thirty  years  in  the  Rev.  Dr. 
Sproat's  church,  and  died  in  a  full  assurance  of  a  happy  immor 
tality.  The  life  of  this  man  is  marked  with  several  circum 
stances,  which  perhaps  have  seldom  occurred  in  the  life  of  an 
individual  events.  He  saw  and  heard  more  of  those  events 
which  are  measured  by  time,  than  have  ever  been  seen  or 
heard  by  any  name  since  the  age  of  the  patriarchs ;  he  saw 
the  same  spot  of  earth,  which  at  one  period  of  his  life,  was 
covered  with  wood  and  bushes,  and  the  receptacle  of  beasts 
and  birds  of  prey,  afterwards  become  the  seat  of  a  city  not 
only  the  first  in  wealth  and  arts  in  the  new,  but  rivalling  in 
both,  many  of  the  first  cities  in  the  old  world.  He  saw  regu 
lar  streets  where  he  once  pursued  a  hare  :  he  saw  churches 
rising  upon  morasses,  where  he  had  often  heard  the  croak- 


292  AN    ACCOUNT    OF    THE    LIFE    OF    E.    DRINKER. 

ing  of  frogs  ;  he  saw  wharfs  and  ware-houses,  where  he  had 
often  seen  Indian  savages  draw  fish  from  the  river  for  their 
daily  subsistence  ;  and  he  saw  ships  of  every  size  and  use  in 
in  those  streams,  where  he  had  often  seen  nothing  but  Indian 
canoes ;  Jie  saw  a  stately  edifice  filled  with  legislators,  asto 
nishing  the  world  with  their  wisdom  and  virtue,  on  the  same 
spot,  probably,  where  he  had  seen  an  Indian  council  fire  ;  he 
saw  the  first  treaty  ratified  between  the  newly  confederated 
powers  of  America  and  the  ancient  monarchy  of  France,  with 
all  the  formalties  of  parchment  and  seals,  on  the  same  spot, 
probably,  where  he  once  saw  William  Penn  ratify  his  first 
and  last  treaty  with  the  Indians,  without  the  formality  of  pen, 
ink  or  paper ;  he  saw  all  the  intermediate  stages  through 
which  a  people  pass,  from  the  most  simple  to  the  highest 
degrees  of  civilization.  He  saw  the  beginning  and  end  of  the 
empire  of  Great-Britain,  in  Pennsylvania.  He  had  been  the 
subject  of  seven  successive  crowned  heads,  and  afterwards  be 
came  a  willing  citizen  of  a  republic ;  for  he  embraced  the 
liberties  and  independence  of  America  in  his  withered  arms, 
and  triumphed  in  the  last  years  of  his  life  in  the  salvation  of 
his  country. 


REMARKABLE  CIRCUMSTANCES  IN  THE  CONSTITUTION  AND 
LIFE  OF  ANN  WOODS,  AN  OLD  WOMAN  OF  96  YEARS  OF 
AGE. 


IN  the  summer  of  the  year  1788,  while  I  was  engaged 
in  collecting  the  facts  upon  the  subject  of  old  age,  which 
I  have  since  published,*  a  poor  woman  came  to  my  house  to 
beg  for  cold  victuals.  Perceiving  by  her  countenance,  and 
the  stoop  in  her  walk,  that  she  was  very  old,  I  requested  her 
to  sit  down  by  me,  while  I  recorded  the  following  information, 
which  I  received  from  her,  and  which  was  confirmed  to  me  a 
few  days  afterwards,  by  one  of  her  daughters  with  whom  ahe 
lived.  Her  name  was  Ann  Woods.  Her  age  at  that  time 
was  96.  She  was  born  in  Herefordshire,  in  England,  and 
came  to  this  city  when  she  was  but  ten  years  old,  where  she 
had  lived  ever  since.  She  had  been  twice  married.  By  her 
first  husband,  William  Dickson,  she  had  nine  children,  four 
of  whom  were  then  living.  By  her  second  husband,  Joseph 
Woods,  whom  she  married  after  she  was  sixty  years  old,  she 
had  one  child,  born  within  ten  months  after  her  marriage. 
There  were  intervals  of  two  and  nearly  three  years  between 
each  of  her  children.  Three  died  soon  after  weaning  them 
at  the  usual  age  in  which  children  are  taken  from  the  breast. 
This  led  her  to  suckle  her  other  children  during  the  whole 
time  of  her  pregnancy,  and  in  several  instances,  she  suckled 
two  of  them,  born  in  succession  to  each  other,  at  the  same 

*  Medical  Enquiries  and  Observations,  vol.  2. 


2\)4  AN,    ACCOUNT    OF    THE    LIFE    AND 

time.  One  of  her  children  by  her  first  husband,  sucked  until 
it  was  five  years  old.  Her  menses  appeared  between  her 
nineteenth  and  twentieth  years  and  continued  without  any  in* 
termission,  except  during  her  pregnancy  and  eleven  months 
after  the  birth  of  each  of  her  children,  until  she  was  eighty 
years  of  age.  At  the  time  I  saw  her,  she  heard  tolerably  well, 
but  her  sight  was  lost  in  one  eye,  and  was  weak  in  the  other. 
She  lost  all  her  teeth  when  she  was  between  fifty  and  sixty 
years  of  age.  Her  hair  became  grey  when  she  was  between 
forty  and  fifty.  Her  sleep  was  not  sound,  owing  to  her  having 
been  afflicted  with  the  Rheumatism,  a  disease  which  was 
brought  on  her  by  the  alternate  heat  and  cold  to  which  she 
had  exposed  herself,  by  following  the  business  of  a  washer 
woman  for  many  years.  She  had  had  several  attacks  of  the 
Intermitting  Fever  and  of  the  Pleurisy,  in  the  course  of  her 
life,  and  was  much  afflicted  with  the  Head-Ache,  Barter  her 
menses  ceased.  She  had  been  frequently  bled  while  afflicted 
•with  the  above  diseases.  Her  diet  was  simple,  consisting 
chiefly  of  weak  tea,  milk,  cheese,  butter  and  vegetables. 
Meat  of  all  kinds,  except  veal,  disagreed  with  her  stomach. 
She  found  great  benefit  from  frequently  changing  her  aliment. 
Her  drinks  were  water,  cyder  and  water,  molasses  and  vine^ 
gar  in  water.  She  had  never  used  spirits.  Her  memory 
•was  hut  little  impaired.  She  was  cheerful  and  thankful  that 
her  condition  in  life  was  happier  than  hundreds  of  other  old 
people, 

,  From  the  history  of  this  old  woman's  constitution  and  man 
ner  of  life,  the  following  observations  will  naturally  occur  to 
the  reader. 

1 .  That  there  is  a  great  latitude  in  the  time  in  which  the 
menses  tease.     It  is  more  common  for  them  in  their  excen- 


CONSTITUTION    OF    ANN    WOODS.  295 

tricities,  to  disappear  at  the  usual  time,  and  to  return  in  ex 
treme  old  age.  In  the  year  1795,  I  saw  a  case  of  this  kind 
in  a  woman  of  seventy  years  of  age  in  the  Pennsylvania  Hos 
pital. 

2.  There  is  a  great  latitude  in  the  time  in  which  women 
bear  children.     Many  children  are  born  between  fifty  and 
sixty,  but  very  few  I  believe  beyond  sixty. 

3.  It  appears  from  the  history  that  has  been  given,  that 
acute  and  chronic  diseases  if  opposed  by  temperance  and  suit 
able  remedies,    do  not  necessarily  shorten  the  duration  of 
human  life. 

4.  That  child-bearing,  and  suckling  children,  do  not  ma 
terially  affect  health,  or  longevity,  where  their  effects  are 
opposed  by  temperance  and  moderate  labour. 

5.  That  the  evils  of  life  are  seldom  so  numerous,  as  not  to 
leave  room  for  thankfulness  for  an  exemption  from  a  great 
deal  of  misery.     This  poor  woman  did  not  complain  of  her 
weakness,  pains  or  poverty.     On  the  contrary,  she  appeared 
thanful  under  all  the  afflictions  of  her  life.     While  the  indo 
lent  are  commanded  by  the  wise  man  to  go  to  the  ant  to  learn 
industry,    those  persons  who  abound  with  all  the  external 
means  of  happiness,  and  at  the  same  time  complain  of  the 
moral  government  of  our  world,  may  be  invited  to  sit  down 
by  the  side  of  Ann  Woods,  and  learn  from  the  example  of 
her  gratitude  to  heaven,  for  a  single  drop  of  divine  goodness, 
to  render  unceasing  thanks  for  the  ocean  of  blessings  they 
derive  from  the  same  source. 


BIOGRAPHICAL  ANECDOTES  OF  BENJAMIN  LAY 


THERE  was  a  time  when  the  name  of  this  celebrated 
Christian  Philosopher,  was  familiar  to  every  man, 
woman  and  to  nearly  every  child,  in  Pennsylvania.— «His  size, 
which  was  not  much  above  four  feet,  his  dress,  which  was 
always  the  same,  consisting  of  light  coloured  plain  clothes,  a 
white  hat,  and  half-boots  ;— .his  milk-white  beard,  which  hung 
upon  his  breast ;  and,  above  all,  his  peculiar  principles  and 
conduct,  rendered  him  to  many,  an  object  of  admirati6n,  and 
to  all,  the  subject  of  conversation. — . 

He  was  born  in  England,  and  spent  the  early  part  of  his 
life  at  sea.  His  first  settlement  was  in  Barbadoes,  as  a  mer 
chant,  where  he  was  soon  convinced  of  the  iniquity  of  the 
slave  trade.  He  bore  an  open  testimony  against  it,  in  all 
companies,  by  which  means  he  rendered  himself  so  unpo 
pular,  that  he  left  the  island  in  disgust,  and  settled  in  the 
then  province  of  Pennsylvania.  He  fixed  his  home  at  Abing- 
ton,  ten  miles  from  Philadelphia,  from  whence  he  made  fre 
quent  excursions  to  the  city,  and  to  different  parts  of  the 
country.— 

I 

At  the  time  of  his  arrival  in  Pennsylvania,  he  foutid  many 
of  his  brethren,  the  people  called  Quakers,  had  fallen  so  far 
from  their  original  principles,  as  to  keep  negro  slaves.  He 
remonstrated  with  them,  both  publickly  and  privately,  against 
t!  e  practice;  but  frequently  with  so  much  indiscreet  zeal,  a$ 


BIOGRAPHICAL    ANECDOTES    OF    BENJAMIN    LAY.  297 

to  give  great  offence.  He  often  disturbed  their  public  meet 
ings,  by  interrupting  or  opposing  their  preachers,  for  which 
he  was  once  carried  out  of  a  meeting-house,  by  two  or  three 
friends.— ^Upon  this  occasion  he  submitted  with  patience  to 
what  he  considered  a  species  of  persecution. — -He  lay  down 
at  the  door  of  the  meeting-house,  in  a  shower  of  rain,  till 
divine  worship  was  ended ;  nor  could  he  be  prevailed  upon  to 
rise,  till  the  whole  congregation  had  stepped  over  him  in  their 
way  to  their  respective  homes.-— 

To  shew  his  indignation  against  the  practice  of  slave  - 
keeping,  he  once  carried  a  bladder  filled  with  blood  into  a 
meeting  ;  and,  in  the  presence  of  the  whole  congregation, 
thrust  a  sword,  which  he  had  concealed  under  his  coat, 
into  the  bladder,  exclaiming,  at  the  same  time,  "  Thus  shall 
God  shed  the  blood  of  those  persons  who  enslave  their  fellow 
creatures."  The  terror  of  this  extravagant  and  unexpected 
act,  produced  swoonings  in  several  of  the  women  of  the  con 
gregation.—* 

He  once  went  into  the  house  of  a  friend  in  Philadelphia, 
and  found  him  seated  at  breakfast,  with  his  family  around 
him.  Being  asked  by  him  to  sit  down  and  breakfast  with 
them,  he  said,  "  Dost  thou  keep  slaves  in  thy  house  ?"  Upon 
being  answered  in  the  affirmative,  he  said,  "  Then  I  will  not 
partake  with  thee,  of  the  fruits  of  thy  unrighteousness." 

He  took  great  pains  to  convince  a  farmer  and  his  wife,  in 
Chester  county,  of  the  iniquity  of  keeping  negro  slaves,  but 
to  no  purpose.  They  not  only  kept  their  slaves,  but  defended 
the  practice.  One  day  he  went  into  their  house,  and  after  a 
short  discourse  with  them  upon  the  wickedness,  and  particu 
larly  the  inhumanity  of  seperating  children  from  their  parents, 
which  was  involved  in  the  slave  trade,  he  seized  the  only 

Qq 


298  lilOGRAPHICAL    ANECDOTES   OF 

child  of  the  family,  (a  little  girl  about  three  years  old)  and 
pretended  to  run  away  with  her, — /The  child  cried  bitterly, 
"  I  will  be  good,— «I  will  be  good,'*  and  the  parents  shewed 
signs  of  being  alarmed.  Upon  observing  this  scene,  Mr. 
Lay  said,  very  emphatically,—"  You  sec,  and  feel  now,  a  little 
of  the  distress  you  occasion  every  day,  by  the  inhuman  prac 
tice  of  slave-keeping." 

This  singular  philosopher  did  not  limit  his  pious  testimony 
against  vice,  to  slave-keeping  alone.  lie  was  opposed  to 
every  species  of  extravagance.  Upon  the  introduction  of  tea, 
as  an  article  of  diet,  into  Pennsylvania,  his  wife  bought  a 
small  quantity  of  it,  with  a  sett  of  cups  and  saucers,  and 
brought  them  home  with  her.  Mr.  Lay  took  them  from 
her,  brought  them  back  again  to  the  city,  and  from  the  bal 
cony  of  the  court-house  scattered  the  tea,  and  broke  the  cups 
and  saucers,  in  the  presence  of  many  hundred  spectators, 
delivering,  at  the  same  time,  a  striking  lecture  upon  the 
folly  of  preferring  that  foreign  herb,  with  its  expensive  appur 
tenances,  to  the  simple  and  wholesome  diet  of  our  country. 

He  possessed  a  good  deal  of  wit,  and  was  quick  at  repartee. 
A  citizen  of  Philadelphia,  v/ho  knew  his  peculiarities,  once 
met  him  in  a  croud,  at  a  funeral,  in  Germantown.  Being 
desirous  of  entering  into  a  conversation  with  him  that  should 
divert  the  company,  the  citizen  accosted  him,  with  the  most 
respectful  ceremony,  and  declared  himself  to  be  «  his  most 
humble  servant."  wt  Art  them  my  servant."  said  Mr.  Lay, 
— •"  Yes— I  am"  said  the  citizen.  "  Then,  said  Mr.  Lay, 
(holding  up  his  foot  towards  him,)  clean  this  shoe."— This 
unexpected  reply  turned  the  laugh  upon  the  citizen.  Being 
desirous  of  recovering  himself  in  the  opinion  of  the  company, 
he  asked  him  to  instruct  him  in  the  way  to  heaven.  "  Dost 


BENJAMIN    LAY.  299 

thou  indeed  wish  to  be  taught,"  said  Mr.  Lay.  "  I  do,'* 
said  the  citizen.  "  Then,"  said  Mr.  Lay,  "  Do  justice—* 
love  mercy,  and  walk  humbly  with  thy  God." 

He  wrote  a  small  treatise  upon  negro-slavery,  which  he 
brought  to  Dr.  Franklin  to  be  printed.  Upon  looking  over 
it,  the  Doctor  told  him  that  it  was  not  paged,  and  that  there 
appeared  to  be  no  order  or  arrangement  in  it.  "  It  is  no 
matter  said  Mr.  Lay — .print  any  part  thou  pleasest  first."— • 
This  book  contained  many  pious  sentiments,  and  strong  ex 
pressions  against  negro  slavery  ;  but  even  the  address  and 
skill  of  Dr.  Franklin  were  not  sufficient  to  connect  its  dif 
ferent  parts  together,  so  as  to  render  it  an  agreeable  or  use 
ful  work.  This  book  is  in  the  library  of  the  city  of  Phila 
delphia. 

Mr.  Lay  was  extremely  attentive  to  young  people.  He 
took  great  pleasure  in  visiting  schools,  where  he  often 
preached  to  the  youth,  He  frequently  carried  a  basket  of 
religious  books  with  him,  and  distributed  them  as  prizes, 
among  the  scholars. 

He  was  fond  of  reading.  In  the  print  of  him,  which  is  to 
be  seen  in  many  houses  in  Philadelphia,  he  is  represented 
with  "  Tryon  on  Happiness"  in  his  hand,  a  book  which  he 
valued  very  much,  and  which  he  frequently  carried  with  him 
in  his  excursions  from  home. 

He  was  kind  and  charitable  to  the  poor,  but  had  no  com 
passion  for  beggars.  He  used  to  say,  «  there  was  no  man 
or  woman,  who  was  able  to  go  abroad  to  beg,  that  was  not 
able  to  earn  four  pence  a  day,  and  this  sum,  he  said,  was 
enough  to  keep  any  person  above  want,  or  dependence,  in 
this  country." 


300  BIOGRAPHICAL  ANECDOTES  OF 

His  humanity  was  as  ingenious  as  it  was  extensive,  and 
embraced  the  sufferings  which  arise  from  even  the  common 
inconveniences  of  life.  One,  among  many  instances  that 
might  be  mentioned  of  this  species  of  humanity,  was  his  ad 
vising  the  farmers  who  lived  near  to  public  roads  to  plant 
fruit  trees  along  them,  in  order  "  to  protect  the  weary  travel 
ler  by  their  shade,  and  to  refresh  him  with  their  fruits." 

He  was  a  severe  enemy  to  idleness,  insomuch  that  when 
he  could  not  employ  himself  out  of  doors,  or  when  he  was 
tired  of  reading,  he  used  to  spend  his  time  in  spinning.  His 
common  sitting  room  was  hung  with  skains  of  thread,  spun 
entirely  by  himself.  All  his  clothes  were  of  his  own  manu 
factory. 

He  was  extremely  temperate  in  his  diet,  living  chiefly 
upon  vegetables. — Turnips  boiled,  and  afterwards  roasted, 
were  his  favourite  dinner.  JJis  drink  was  pure  water.  From 
a  desire  of  imitating  our  Saviour,  in  every  thing,  he  once 
attempted  to  fast  for  forty  (Jays.  This  experiment,  it  is  said 
had  nearly  cost  him  his  life.  He  was  obliged  to  desist  from 
it,  long  before  the  forty  days  were  expired ;  but  the  fasting, 
it  was  said,  so  much  debilitated  his  "body,  as  to  accelerate  his 
death.  He  lived  above  eighty  years,  and  died  in  his  own 
house  in  Abington,  about  thirty  years  ago. 

In  reviewing  the  history  of  this  extraordinary  man,  we 
cannot  help  absolving  him  of  his  weaknesses,  when  we  con 
template  his  many  active  virtues.  He  was  the  pioneer  of 
that  war,  which  has  since  been  carried  on,  so  successfully, 
against  the  commerce  and  slavery  of  the  negroes.— Perhaps 
the  turbulence  and  severity  of  his  temper  were  necessary  to 
rouse  the  torpor  of  the  human  mind,  at  the  period  in  which 
he  lived,  to  this  interesting  subject.  The  meekness  and 


BENJAMIN    LAY.  SOI 

gentleness  of  Anthony  Benezet,  who  compleated  what  Mr. 
Lay  began  would  probably  have  been  as  insufficient  for  the 
work  performed  by  Mr.  Lay,  as  the  humble  piety  of  De 
Renty,  or  of  Thomas  A.  Kempis,  would  have  been  to  accom 
plish  the  works  of  the  zealous  Luther,  or  the  intrepid  Knox 
in  the  sixteenth  century. 

The  success  of  Mr.  Lay,  in  sowing  the  seeds  of  a  principle 
which  bids  fair  to  produce  a  revolution  in  morals— commerce 
—and  government,  in  the  new  and  in  the  old  world,  should 
teach  the  benefactors  of  mankind  not  to  despair,  if  they  do 
not  see  the  fruits  of  their  benevolent  propositions,  or  under 
takings,  during  their  lives. — .No  one  seed  of  truth  or  virtue 
ever  perished.-— Wherever  it  may  be  sowed,  or  even  scat 
tered,  it  will  preserve  and  carry  with  it  the  principle  of  life.—. 
Some  of  these  seeds  produce  their  fruits  in  a  short  time,  but 
the  most  valuable  of  them,  like  the  venerable  oak— -are  cen 
turies  in  growing ;  but  they  are  unlike  the  pride  of  the  forests, 
as  well  as  all  other  vegetable  productions,  in  being  incapable 
of  a  decay ; 

They  exist  ancj  bloom  for  ever. 
February  10th.  1790. 


BlOGKAPKICAL  ANECDOTES    OF   ANTHONY    BENEZET. 


THIS  excellent  man  was  placed  by  his  friends  in  early 
life  in  a  counting-house,  but  finding  commerce  open 
ed  temptations  to  a  worldly  spirit,  he  left  his  master,  and 
bound  himself  as  an  apprentice  to  a  cooper.  Finding  this 
business  too  laborious  for  his  constitution,  he  declined  it, 
and  devoted  himself  to  school-keeping  ;  in  which  useful  em 
ployment,  he  continued  during  the  greatest  part  of  his  life. 

He  possessed  uncommon  activity  and  industry  in  every 
thing  he  undertook.  He  did  every  thing  as  if  the  words  of 
his  Saviour  were  perpetually  sounding  in  his  ears,  "  wist  ye 
not,  that  I  must  be  about  my  Father's  business  ?" 

He  used  to  say,  "  the  highest  act  of  charity  in  the  world 
was  to  bear  v/ith  the  unreasonableness  of  mankind." 

lie  generally  wore  plush  clothes,  and  gave  as  a  reason  for 
it,  that  after  he  had  worn  them  for  two  or  three  years,  they 
made  comfortable  and  decent  garments  for  the  poor. 

He  once  informed  a  young  friend,  that  his  memory  began 
to  fail  him ;  "  but  this,"  said  he,  "  gives  me  one  great  ad- 
•'  vantage  over  thee — for  thou  canst  find  entertainment  in 
**  reading  a  good  book  only  once—- but  I  enjoy  that  pleasure 
u  as  often  as  I  read  it ;  for  it  is  always  new  to  me." 

He  published  several  valuable  tracts  in  favor  of  the  emanci 
pation  of  the  blacks,  and  of  the  civilizing  and  christianizing 


SIOGRAPHiCAf.    ANECDOTES    OF    ANTHONY    BE.NEZET.          3CK» 

the  Indians.  He  also  published  a  pamphlet  against  the  use 
of  ardent  spirits.  All  these  publications  were  circulated  with 
great  industry,  and  at  his  own  expense,  throughout  every 
part  of  the  United  States. 

He  wrote  letters  to  the  queen  of  Great- Britain,  and  to  the 
queen  of  Portugal  to  use  their  influence  with  their  respective 
courts  to  abolish  the  African  trade.  He  accompanied  his  let 
ter  to  the  queen  of  Great-Britain  with  a  present  of  his  works. 
The  queen  received  them  with  great  politeness,  and  said  afier 
reading  them,  "  that  the  author  appeared  to  be  a  very  good 
«  man." 

He  also  wrote  a  letter  to  the  king  of  Prussia,  in  which  he 
endeavoured  to  convince  him  of  the  unlawfulness  of  war. 

During  the  time  the  British  army  was  in  possession  of  thft 
city  of  Philadelphia,  he  was  indefatigable  in  his  endeavours 
to  render  the  situation  of  the  persons  who  suffered  from  capti 
vity  as  easy  as  possible.  He  knew  no  fear  in  the  presence  of 
his  fellow  men,  however  dignified  they  were  by  titles  or  sta 
tion,  and  such  were  the  propriety  and  gentleness  of  his  man 
ners  in  his  intercourse  with  the  gentlemen  who  commanded 
the  British  and  German  troops,  that  when  he  could  not  ob 
tain  the  objects  of  his  requests,  he  never  failed  to  secure  their 
civilities,  and  frequently  their  esteem. 

So  great  was  his  sympathy  with  every  thing  that  was  capa 
ble  of  feeling  pain,  that  he  resolved  towards,  the  clo.se  of  his 
life,  to  eat  no  animal  food.  Upon  coming  into  his  brother's 
house  one  day,  when  his  family  was  dining  upon  'poultry, 
he  was  asked  by  his  brother's  wife,  to  sit  down  and  dine  wkk 
them.  "  What  1"  (said  he,)  «  would  you  have  eat  my  neigh- 
"  bours?" 


304          BIOGRAPHICAL    ANECDOTES    OF    ANTHONY    BENEZET. 

This  misapplication  of  a  moral  feeling,  was  supposed  to 
have  brought  on  such  a  debility  in  his  stomach  and  bowels, 
as  produced  a  disease  in  those  parts  of  which  he  finally  died. 

Few  men,  since  days  of  the  apostles,  ever  lived  a  more 
disinterested  life.  And  yet,  upon  his  death  bed,  he  said,  he 
wished  to  live  a  little  longer,  that  u  he  might  bring  down 

"    SELF." 

The'-last  time  he  ever  walked  across  his  room,  was  to  take 
from  his  desk  six  dollars,  which  he  gave  to  a  poor  widow 
whom  he  had  long  assisted  to  maintain. 

He  bequeathed  after  the  death  of  his  widow,  a  house  and 
lot  in  which  consisted  his  whole  estate,  to  the  support  of  a 
school  for  the  education  of  negro  children,  which  he  had 
founded  and  taught  for  several  years  before  his  death. 

He  died  in  May  1784,  in  the  71st.  year  of  his  age. 

His  funeral  was  attended  by  persons  of  all  religious  denomi 
nations,  and  by  many  hundred  black  people. 

Colonel  J n,  who  had  served  in  the  American  army, 

during  the  late  war,  in  returning  from  the  funeral,  pro 
nounced  an  eulogium  upon  him.  It  consisted,  only  of  the 
following  words :  "  I  would  rather,"  said  he,  "  be  Anthony 
"  Benezet  in  that  coffin,  than  George  Washington  with  all 
«  his  fame." 

July  15,  1788. 


PARADISE    OF    NEGRO-SLAVES.-— A      DREAM. 


SOON  after  reading  Mr.  Clarkson's  ingenious  and 
pathetic  essay  on  the  slavery  and  commerce  of  the 
human  species,  the  subject  made  so  deep  an  impression  upon 
my  mind,  that  it  followed  me  in  my  sleep,  and  produced  a 
dream  of  so  extraordinary  a  nature,  that  I  have  yielded  to 
the  importunities  of  some  of  my  friends,  by  communicating 
it  to  the  public,  I  thought  I  was  conducted  to  a  country, 
which  in  point  of  cultivation  and  scenery,  far  surpassed  any 
thing  I  had  ever  heard,  or  read  of  in  my  life.  This  country, 
I  found,  was  inhabited  only  by  negroes.  They  appeared 
cheerful  and  happy.  Upon  my  approaching  a  beautiful 
grove,  where  a  number  of  them  were  assembled  for  reli 
gious  purposes,  I  perceived  at  once  a  pause  in  their  exer 
cises,  and  an  appearance  of  general  perturbation.  They 
fixed  their  eyes  upon  me— while  one  of  them,  a  venerable 
looking  man,  came  forward,  and  in  the  name  of  the  whole 
assembly,  addressed  me  in  thfe  following  language  : 

"  Excuse  the  panic  which  you  have  spread  through  this 
"  peaceful  and  happy  company :  we  perceive  that  you  are  a 
"  white  man.— «That  colour  which  is  the  emblem  of  innocence 
"  in  every  other  creature  cf  God,  is  to  us  a  sign  of  guilt  in 
"  man.  The  persons  whom  you  see  here,  were  once  drag- 
"  ged  by  the  men  of  your  colour  from  their  native  country, 
:<  arjd  consigned  by  them  to  labour— pun ishm«nt— • and  death. 

R  r 


J06  PARADISE    OF    NEGRO    SLAVES, 

"  —We  are  here  collected  together,  and  enjoy  an  ample 
"  compensation  in  our  present  employments  for  all  the  mise- 
"  ries  we  endured  on  earth.  We  know  that  we  are  secured 
"  by  the  Being  whom  we  worship,  from  injury  and  oppres- 
"  sion.  Our  appearance  of  terror,  therefore,  was  entirely 
"  the  sudden  effect  of  habits  which  have  not  yet  been  eradi- 
u  cated  from  our  minds." 

"  Your  apprehensions  of  danger  from  the  sight  of  a  white 
"  man,"  said  I,  w  are  natural.  But  in  me— -you  behold  a 

"  friend.     I  have  been  your  advocate— --and." Here,  he 

interrupted  me,  and  said,  "  Is  not  your  name ?"  I  an 
swered  in  the  affirmative.  Upon  this  he  ran  up  and  embraced 
me  in  his  arms,  and  afterwards  conducted  me  into  the  midst 
of  the  assembly,  where,  after  being  introduced  to  the  prin 
cipal  characters,  I  was  seated  upon  a  bank  of  moss  ;  and  the 
following  account  was  delivered  to  me  by  the  venerable  per 
son  who  first  accosted  me. 

u  The  place  we  now  occupy,  is  called  the  paradise  of  negro 
"  staves.  It  is  destined  to  be  our  place  of  residence  'till  the 
u  general  judgement ;  after  ^vhich  time,  we  expect  to  be 
"  admitted  into  higher  and  more  perfect  degrees  of  happiness. 
"  Here  we  derive  great  pleasure  from  contemplating  the  infi- 
u  nite  goodness  of  God,  in  allotting  to  us  our  full  proportion 
"  of  misery  on  earth  ;  by  which  means  we  have  escaped  the 
'•'  punishments,  to  which  the  free  and  happy  part  of  mankind 
:c  too  often  expose  themselves  after  death.  Here  we  have 
"  learned  to  thank  God,  for  all  the  afflictions  our  task-mas- 
IC  ters  heaped  on  us ;  inasmuch)  as  they  were  the  means  of 
*'  our  present  happiness.  Pain  and  distress  are  the  unavoid- 
**  able  portions  of  all  mankind.  They  are  the  only  possible  ave- 
••  nues  that  can  conduct  them  to  peace  and  felicity.  Happy  are 


A    DREAM.  307 

"  they,  who  partake  of  their  proportion  of  both  upon  the 
u  earth."  Here  he  ended.— 

After  a  silence  of  a  few  .minutes,  a  young  man,  who  bore 
on  his  head  the  mark  of  a  woundj  came  up  to  rne  and  asked 

"  If  I  knew  any  thing  of  Mr.— — ,  of  the  Island  of "  I 

told  him  "  I  did  not."—"  Mr. • — ,"  said  he,  "  was  my 

"  master.  One  day,  I  mistook  his  orders,  and  saddled  his 
"  mare  instead  of  his  horse,  which  provoked  him  so  much, 
<£  that  he  took  up  an  axe  which  laid  in  his  yard.,  and  with  a 
"  stroke  on  my  head  dismissed  me  from  life. 

"  I  long  to  hear,  whether  he  has  repented  of  this  unkind 
"  action.  Do,  sir,  write  to  him,  and  tell  him,  his  sin  is  not 
"  |po  great  to  be  forgiven,  tell  him,  his  once  miserable  slave, 
"  Scipio,  is  not  angry  at  him — «he  longs  to  bear  his  prayers 
"  to  the  offended  majesty  of  heaven — -and— .when  he  dies— 
"  Scipio  will  apply  to  be  one  of  the  convoy,  that  shall  conduct 
"  his  spirit  to  the  regions  of  bliss  appointed  for  those  who 
"  repent  of  their  iniquities." 

Before  I  could  reply  to  this  speech,  an  old  man  came  and 
sat  down  by  my  side.  His  wool  was  white  as  snow.  With 
a  low,  but  gentle  voice,  he  thus  addressed  me. 

"  Sir,  I  was  the  slave  of  Mr. ,  in  the  Island  of 

"  I  served  him  faithfully  upwards  of  sixty  years.  No  rising 
"  sun  ever  caught  me  in  my  cabin— no  setting  sun  ever  saw 
"  me  out  of  the  sugar  field,  except  on  Sundays  and  holydays. 
"  My  whole  subsistence  never  cost  my  master  more  than 
"  forty  shillings  a  year.  Herrings  and  roots  were  my  only 
"  food.  One  day,  in  the  eightieth  year  of  my  age,  the  over- 
"  seer  saw^me  stop  to  rest  myself  against  the  side  of  a  tree, 
"  where  I  was  at  work.  He  came  up  to  me,  and  beat  me. 


308  PARADISE    OF    NEGRO    SLAVES, 

"  'till  he  could  endure  the  fatigue  and  heat  occasioned  by  the 
"  blows  he  gave  me,  no  longer.  Nor  was  this  all — he  com- 
"  plained  of  me  to  my  master,  who  instantly  set  me  up  at 
"  public  venclue,  and  sold  me  for  two  guineas  to  a  tavern- 
"  keeper,  in  a  distant  parish .  The  distress  I  felt,  in  leaving 
"  my  children,  and  grand-children(28  of  whom  I  left  on  my 
«  old  master's  plantation)  soon  put  an  end  to  my  existence, 
<c  and  landed  me  upon  these  happy  shores.  I  have  now  no 
"  wish  to  gratify  but  one — and  that  is  to  be  permitted  to  visit 
"  my  old  master's  family.  I  long  to  tell  my  master,  that 
"  his  wealth  cannot  make  him  happy.— .That  the  sufferings 
"  of  a  single  hour  in  the  world  of  misery,  for  which  .he  is 
"  preparing  himself,  will  overbalance  all  the  pleasures  he 
"  ever  enjoyed  in  his  life — and  that  for  every  act  of  unneces- 
"  sary  severity  he  inflicts  upon  his  slaves,  he  shall  suffer  ten- 
;:<  fold  in  the  world  to  come." 

He  had  hardly  finished  his  tale,  when  a  decent  looking; 
woman  came  forward,  and  addressed  me  in  the  following 
language.— Sir, 

"  I  was  once  the  slave  of  Mr.         ,  in  the  state  of .. 

"  From  the  healthiness  of  my  constitution,  I  was  called  upon 
"  to  suckle  my  Master's  eldest  son.  To  enable  me  to  per- 
"  form  this  office  more  effectually,  my  own  child  was  taken 
"  from  my  breast,  and  soon  afterwards  died.  My  affections 
*<  in  the  first  emotions  of  my  grief,  fastened  themselves  upon 
"  my  infant  master.  He  thrived  under  my  care  and  grew 
"  up  a  handsome  }roung  man.  Upon  the  death  of  his  father, 
"  I  became  his  property. — Soon  alter  this  event,  he  lost^.  100 
<*  at  cards.  To  raise  this  money  I  was  sold  to  a  planter  in  a 
t:  neighbouring  state.  I  can  never  forget  the  anguish,  with 
-{  which  my  aged  father  and  mother  followed  me  to  the  ena 


A    DREAM. 

"  of  the  lane,  when  I  left  my  master  s  house,  and  hung  upon 
V  me,  when  they  bid  me  farewell." 

"  My  new  master  obliged  me  to  work  in  the  field ;  the 
"  consequence  of  which  was,  I  caught  a  fever  which  in  a  few 
«  weeks  ended  my  life.  Say,  my  friend,  is  my  first  young 
"  master  still  alive  ?  — <If  he  is— go  to  him,  and  tell  him,  his 
"  unkind  behaviour  to  me  is  upon  record  against  him.  The 
"  gentle  spirits  in  heaven,  whose  happiness  consists  in  ex- 
ec  pressions  of  gratitude  and  love,  will  have  no  fellowship 
"  with  him.  His  soul  must  be  melted  with  pity,  or  he  can 
"  never  escape  the  punishment  which  awaits  the  hard-hearted, 
"  equally  with  the  impenitent,  jm  the  regions  of  misery." 

As  soon  as  she  had  finished  her  story,  a  middle  aged  wo- 
finan  approached  me,  and  after  a  low  and  respectful  curtsey, 
thus  addressed  me. 

"  Sir  I  was  born  and  educated  in  a  Christian  family  in  one 
«  of  the  southern  states  of  America.  In  the  thirty-third 
"  year  of  my  age,  I  applied  to  my  master  to  purchase  my 
"  freedom.  Instead  of  granting  my  request,  he  conveyed 
"  me  by  force  on  board  of  a  vessel  and  sold  me  to  a  planter 

"  in  the  island  of  Hispaniola.     Here  it  pleased  God."—- 

Upon  pronouncing  these  words,  she  paused,  and  a  general 
silence  ensued.— -All  at  once,  the  eyes  of  the  whole  assembly 
were  turned  from  me,  and  directed  towards  a  little  white 
man  who  advanced  towards  them,  on  the  opposite  side  of  the 
grove,  in  which  we  were  seated.  His  face  was  grave,  placid, 
and  full  of  benignity.  In  one  hand  he  carried  a  subscription 
paper  and  a  petition — an  the  other,  he  carried  a  small  pam 
phlet,  on  the  unlawfulness  of  the  African  "slave -trade,  and  a 
letter  directed  to  the  King  of  Prussia,  upon  the  unlawfulness 


TARAUI.iE    OF    XLGRO    SLAVES,    A    DREAM. 

of  war.  While  J  was  employed  in  contemplating  this  vene 
rable  figure — suddenly  I  beheld  the  whole  assembly  running 
to  meet  him— .the  air  resounded  with  the  clapping  of  hands — 
and  I  awoke  frojn  my  dream,  by  the  noise  of  a  general  accla 
mation  of— - 

ANTHONY  BENEZET! 


A.V    IjrqUIRY    INTO    THE    CAUSES    OF    PREMATURE    DEATHS, 


THE  frequency  of  death  in  infancy,  childhood,  and 
middle  life,  and  the  immense  disproportion  between 
the  number  who  die  in  those  periods,  and  of  those  who  die  in 
old  age,  have  often  been  urged  as  arguments  against  the  wis 
dom  and  goodness  of  the  divine  government.  The  design  of 
this  inquiry  is  to  shew  that,  in  the  present  state  of  the  world 
those  supposed  evils,  or  defects,  are  blessings  in  disguise, 
and  a  part  of  a  wise  and  extensive  system  of  goodness  to  the 
children  of  men , 

The  reasons  for  this  opinion  are : 

i .  Did  all  the  people  who  are  bom,  live  to  be  seventy  or 
eighty  years  of  age,  the  population  of  the  globe  would  soon 
so  far  surpass  its  present  cultivation,  that  millions  would 
perish  yearly  from  the  want  of  food- 


INQUIRY    INTO    THE    CAUSES    OF    PREMATURE    DEATHS.       21  1 

2.  Did  all  the  men  and  women  who  come  into  the  world, 
live  to  be  old,  how  miserable  would  be  the  condition  of  most 
of  them,  from  weakness,  sickness,  and  pain !  Unable  to  as 
sist  each  other,  and  neglected  or  deserted  by  their  children, 
or  friends,  they  would  perish  from  want,  or  perhaps  putrify 
above   ground.     This  view  of  the  consequences  of  universal 
longevity  is  not  an  exaggerated  one.     A  tribe  of  northern 
Indians,  Mr.  Hearnes  says,  always  leave  their  parents,  when 
they  become   old  and  helpless,    to  die  alone   with  hunger. 
They  meet  death,  he  adds,  with  resignation,  from  an  idea  of 
its  necessity,  and  from  the  recollection  of  their  having  treat 
ed  their  parents  in  the  same  manner.     In  support  of  the  re 
mark,  under  this  head,  let  us  recollect  how  many  old  people 
in  humble  life,  are  maintained  by  the  public,  and  how  few 
parents  in  genteel  life,  after  they  have  exhausted  their  libe 
rality  upon  their  children,  receive  from  them  a  due  propor 
tion  of  gratitude  or  respect. 

3.  In  the  present  depraved  state  of  human  nature,  how 
great  would  be  the  mass  of  vice  in  the  world,  if  old  age  were 
universal  ?  If  avarice  in  an  individual  strikes  a  whole  city  with 
surprise  and  horror,  how  great  would  be  the  mass  of  this 
vice  in  a  city  that  contained  30  or  40,000  old  people,  all  equal 
ly  absorbed  in  the  love  of  money  ?  Again,  what  would  be  the 
extent  and  degrees  of  ambition,  malice  and  cruelty,  nurtured 
and  cherished  for  70  or  80  years  in  the  same  number  of  hu 
man  beings  ?  But,  to  do  justice  to  this  part  of  our  subject* 
let  us  view  the  effects  of  universal  longevity  upon  another  and 
greater  scale.     Suppose  Alexander,  Cssar,  Nero,  Caligula, 
and  many  others  of  the  conquerors  and  tyrants  of  the  ancient 
Y7orld,  had  lived  to  be  old  men  with  the  ambition  and  love  of 
power  that  have  been  ascribed  to  them,  growing  with  their 
years,  how  much  more  accumulated  -.y«»  heea  th«*r 


INQUIRY    INTO    THE    CAUSES    Of 

crimes,  and  how  much  more  distressing  would  have  been  the 
history  of  the  nations  which  were  conquered  and  enslaved  by 
them  !  The  same  Alexander,  who  at  thirty  years  of  age,  only 
demanded  divine  homage  from  his  captives,  would  probably 
at  seventy  have  exacted  human  sacrifices  to  satisfy  his  assum 
ed  divinity ;  and  the  same  Nero,  who,  when  a  young  man, 
only  fiddled  at  the  sight  of  the  houses  of  Rome  in  a  blaze, 
had  he  lived  to  be  old,  would  probably  have  danced  at  the 
sight  of  all  the  inhabitants  of  that  city  perishing  in  its  general 
conflagration.  But  I  will  not  rely  upon  mere  supposition,  to 
evince  the  pernicious  influence  which  universal  longevity  has 
upon  morals.  The  inhabitants  of  the  antediluvian  world  ex 
hibited  a  memorable  instance  of  it.  Their  wickedness  is  cha 
racterized  by  the  sacred  historian  in  the  following  words. 
fc;  And  God  savr  that  the  wickedness  of  man  was  great  in  the 
earth,  and  that  every  imagination  of  the  thoughts  of  his  heart 
was  only  evil,  continually.  The  earth  aho  was  corrupt  be 
fore  God :  and  the  earth  was  filled  with  violence."  Gen.  vi. 
6  Sc  1 1 .  The  extent  of  the  wickedness  among  the  antedilu 
vians  may  easily  be  conceived  from  the  two  following  circum 
stances. 

1.  The    small  number    of   those  persons  who    escaped 
the  general  depravity  of  morals  which  had  .overspread  the 
world,  being  eight  only  ;  and  that  at  a  time  when  the  world  was 
probably  more  populous  than  it  has  ever  been  since. 

2.  The  abortive  issue  of  the  means  that  God  employed  to 
reform  them.    Noah  preached  to  them  several  hundred  years, 
and  probably  during  that  long  period,  travelled  over  a  great 
portion  of  the  world,  and  yet  not  a  single  person  was  converted, 
or  saved  from  destruction  by  his  ministry,  except  the  mem  - 
bers  of  his  own  family. 


PREMATURE    DEATHS.  313 

It  was  from  a  review  of  this  wickedness,  by  the  Supreme 
Being,  that  life  was  shortened,  as  if  in  mercy  to  present  a 
a  similar  accumulation  of  it  in  any  future  age  of  the  world. 
"  And  the  Lord  said,  my  breath  shall  not  always  remain  in 
these  men  because  they  are  flesh,  yet  shall  their  days  be  one 
hundred  and  twenty  years."*  For  the  same  reason  they  were 
afterwards  reduced  to  seventy,  or  a  few  more  years,  as  is 
obvious  from  the  10th  verse  of  the  90th  Psalm. 

4.  The  mass  of  vice  is  not  only  lessened  by  the  small  pro 
portion  of  the  human  race  who  live  to  be  old,  but  the  mass 
of  virtue  is  thereby  greatly  increased.  The  death  of  persons 
who  have  filled  up  the  measure  of  their  days,  and  who  descend 
to  the  grave  in  a  good  old  age,  seldom  excites  a  serious  re 
flection  ;  but  every  death  that  occurs  in  early  or  middle  life* 
has  a  tendency  to  damp  the  ardor  of  worldly  pursuits,  to 
weaken  the  influence  of  some  sinful  passion,  and  to  produce 
some  degrees  of  reverence  for  that  religion  which  opens  pros 
pects  of  life  and  happiness  beyond  the  grave. 


*  This'translation  of  the  verse  is  copied  from  the  LXX.  whose 
version  is  justified  by  all  the  circumstances  of  the  case.  The 
Creator  had  breathed  into  man's  nostrils  the  breath  of  life, 
(Gen.  ii.  7.)  and  a  continuance  in  life  was  promised  him  dur 
ing  his  continuance  in  innocence  ;  but  upon  his  transgression 
he  became  mortal ;  and  upon  an  increase  of  wickedness,  hu 
man  life  was  proportionably  shortened.  It  was  for  this  reason 
(Gen.  vi.  13.)  that  God  determined  to  destroy  the  old  world  ; 
and  this  occasioned  the  above  declaration  :  the  punctuality 
with  which  it  was  verified  deserves  particular  notice  ;  for 
Noah  was  employed  120  years  in  building  the  ark;  and  at. 
the  expiration  of  that  time  the  flood  came,  and  destroyed  "  all 
m  whose  nostrils  was  the  breath  of  life,  of  all  that  was  in  the 
dry  land."  Gen.  vii.  22. 

S  s 


314  INQUIRY    INTO    THE    CAUSES    OF 

5.  If  vice,  as  we  are  taught  to  believe,  will  be  punished,  ac 
cording  to  its  degrees,  in  a  future  state  of  existence,  how  much 
greater  would  be  the  mass  of  misery  hereafter,  if  the  whole 
human  race  lived  to  be  old,  and  with  increasing  habits  of 
wickedness,  than  it  will  be  in  the  present  contracted  duration 
of  human  life  ?  It  is  therefore  no  less  an  act  of  mercy,  than 
justice,  that  the  "  wicked  live  not  out  half  their  days." 

6.  If  6\d  age  were  universal,  how  difficult  and  severe  would 
be  the  conflicts  of  virtue !  To  be  exposed  to  the  malignant 
passions  of  bad  men,  or,  what  is  often  worse,  to  contend  with 
our  own  evil  propensities  for  seventy  or  eighty  years,  would 
render  the  warfare  of  good  men  much  more  perilous,  and 
their  future  happiness  much  more  precarious,  than,  it  is  at 
present.     How  few  persons  who  live  to  be  old,  escape  the 
idolatrous  passion  of  covetousness  ?  Were  old  age  universal, 
this  passion  would  probably  exclude  one  half  of  them  from 
the  kingdom  of  heaven. 

7.  Did  all  men  live  to  be  old,  it  would  render  knowledge 
stationary.     Few  men  alter  their  opinions,    or  admit  new 
truths,  after  they  are  forty  years  of  age.     None  of  the  con 
temporary  physicians  of  Dr.  Harvey,  who  had  passed  that 
age,  admitted  his  discovery   of  the  circulation  of  the  blood. 
Now  considering  that  nearly  all  discoveries  in  science  are 
made  by  men  under  forty,  and  considering  the  predominating 
influence  and  authority  which  accompany  the  hostility  of  old 
men  to  new  truths,  discoveries  made  by  young  men  could 
never  acquire  belief,  or  an  establishment  in  the  world.     They 
owe  both,  to  the  small  number  of  philosophers  who  live  to  be 
seventy  or  eighty  years  of  age. 

8.  Were  longevity  universal,  with  all  the  deformity  from 
wrinkles,  baldness,  and  the  loss  »f  teeth  and  complexion. 


PREMATURE    DEATHS.  315 

that  are  usually  connected  with  it,  what  a  gloomy  and  offen 
sive  picture  would  the  assemblies  of  our  fellow-creatures  ex 
hibit  ?  In  the  present  small  proportion  of  old  people  to  the 
young  and  middle  aged,  they  seem  like  shades  in  painting, 
or  like  a  few  decayed  trees  near  a  highly  cultivated  garden, 
filled  with  blooming  and  fragrant  flowers,  to  exhibit  the 
charms  of  youth  and  beauty  to  greater  advantage.  From  an 
assembly  composed  exclusively  of  old  men  and  women,  we 
should  turn  our  eyes  with  pain  and  disgust. 

If  the  causes  of  premature  deaths  which  have  been  assigned, 
be  correct,  instead  of  complaining  of  them,  it  becomes  us, 
in  the  present  state  of  the  cultivation,  population,  govern 
ment,  religion,  morals,  and  knowledge  in  the  world,  to  con 
sider  them  as  subjects  for  praise  and  thanksgiving  to  the 
wise  arid  benevolent  Governor  of  the  Universe. 

While  we  thus  do  homage  to  the  divine  wisdom  and  good 
ness,  let  us  look  forward  to  the  time  when  the  improvements 
in  the  physical,  moral,  and  political  condition  of  the  world, 
predicted  in  the  Old  Testament,  shall  render  the  early  and 
distressing  separation  of  parents  and  children,  and  of  hus 
bands  and  wives,  wholly  unnecessary  ;  when  the  physical  and 
moral  sources  of  those  apparent  evils  shall  be  removed  by 
the  combined  influence  of  philosophy  and  religion,  and  when 
old  age  shall  be  the  only  outlet  of  human  life.  The  following 
verses,  taken  from  the  65th  chapter  of  the  prophecy  of 
Isaaih,  justify  a  belief  in  an  order  of  things,  such  as  has  been 
mentioned :  "  There  shall  be  no  more  thence  an  infant  of 
days,"  [or  an  infant  that  has  lived  but  a  few  days]  "  nor  an 
old  man  that  hath  not  filled  his  days,  for  the  child  shall  die 
an  hundred  years  old.  And  they  shall  build  houses,  and 


316       INQUIRY    INTO    THE    CAUSES    OF    PREMATURE    DEATHS. 

inhabit  them,  and  they  shall  plant  vineyards,  and  eat  the 
fruit  of  them.  They  shall  not  build,  and  another  inhabit,  they 
shall  not  plant,  and  another  eat,  for  as  the  days  of  a  tree,  are 
the  days  of  my  people,  and  mine  elect  shall  long  enjoy  the 
work  of  their  hands." 


AN  KULOGIUM  UPON  DR.  WILLIAM  CULLEN,  PROFESSOR  OF 
THE  PRACTICE  OF  PHYSIC,  IN  THE  UNIVERSITY  OF  EDIN 
BURGH  J  DELIVERED  BEFORE  THE  COLLEGE  OF  PHYSI 
CIANS  OF  PHILADELPHIA,  ON  THE  9TH  OF  JULY,  AGREEA 
BLY  TO  THEIR  VOTE  OF  THE  4TH  OF  MAY,  1790,  AND 
AFTERWARDS  PUBLISHED  AT  THEIR  REQUEST. 


Mr.  President  and  Gentlemen, 

BY  your  unanimous  vote,  to  honor  with  an  Eulogium, 
the  character  of  the  late  DR.  WILLIAM  CULLEN, 
Professor  of  medecine  in  the  University  of  Edinburgh,  you 
have  done  equal  homage  to  science  and  humanity.  This 
illustrious  Physician  was  the  Preceptor  of  many  of  us  :•— He 
was  moreover  a  distinguished  citizen  of  the  republic  of  me 
dicine,  and  a  benefactor  to  mankind ;  and  although,  like  the 
sun,  he  shone  in  a  distant  hemisphere,  yet  many  of  the  rays 
of  his  knowledge  have  fallen  upon  this  quarter  of  the  globe. 
I  rise,  therefore,  to  mingle  your  grateful  praises  of  him, 
with  the  numerous  offerings  of  public  and  private  respect  which 
have  been  paid  to  his  memory  in  his  native  country.  Happy 


AN    EULOGIUM    UPON    DR.    WILLIAM    CULLEN.  3  IT 

will  be  the  effects  of  such  acts  of  distant  sympathy,  if  they 
should  serve  to  unite  the  influence  of  science  with  that  of 
commerce,  to  lessen  the  prejudices  of  nations  against  each 
other,  and  thereby  to  prepare  the  way  for  the  operation  of 
that  divine  system  of  morals,  whose  prerogative  alone  it  is, 
to  teach  mankind  that  they  are  brethren,  and  to  make  the 
name  of  a  fellow-creature,  in  every  region  of  the  world,  a 
signal  for  brotherly  affection. 

In  executing  the  task  you  have  imposed  upon  me,  I  shall 
confine  myself  to  such  parts  of  Dr  Cullen's  character  as  came 
within  the  compass  of  my  own  knowledge,  during  two  years 
residence  in  Edinburgh. — To  his  fellow  citizens  in  Great 
Britain,  who  were  more  intimately  acquainted  with  him,  we 
must  resign  the  history  of  his  domestic  character,  as  well  as 
the  detail  of  all  those  steps  which,  in  early  life,  led  him  to 
his  unparalleled  height  of  usefulness  and  fame. 

DR.  CULLEN  possessed  a  great  and  original  genius.  By 
genius,  in  the  present  instance,  I  mean  a  power  in  tire  human 
mind  of  discovering  the  relation  of  distant  truths,  by  the 
shortest  train  of  intermediate  propositions.  This  precious 
gift  of  Heaven,  is  composed  of  a  vigorous  imagination,  quick 
sensibility,  a  talent  for  extensive  and  accurate  observation,  a 
faithful  memory,  and  a  sound  judgment.  These  faculties 
were  all  united  in  an  eminent  degree  in  tfye  mind  of  Dr.  Cul- 
len.  His  imagination  surveyed  all  nature  at  a  glance,  and, 
like  a  camera  obscura,  seemed  to  produce  in  his  mind  a  pic 
ture  of  the  whole  visible  creation.  His  sensibility  was  so  exqui 
site  that  the  smallest  portions  of  truth  acted  upon  it.  By  means 
of  his  talent  for  observation  he  collected  knowledge  from 
every  thing  he  heard,  saw,  or  read,  and  from  every  person 
with  whom  he  conversed.  His  memory  was  the  faithful  re- 


AN     EULOGIUM    UPON  f 

pository  of  all  his  ideas,  and  appeared  to  be  alike  accurate 
upon  all  subjects.  Over  each  of  these  faculties  of  his  mind 
a  sound  judgment  presided,  by  means  of  which  he  discovered 
the  relation  of  ideas  to  each  other,  and  thereby  produced 
those  new  combinations  which  constitute  principles  in  science. 
This  process  of  the  mind  has  been  called  invention,  and  is 
totally  different  from  a  mere  capacity  of  acquiring  learning, 
or  collecting  knowledge  from  the  discoveries  of  others.  It 
elevates  man  to  a  distant  resemblace  of  his  Maker;  for  the 
discovery  of  truth,  is  the  perception  of  things  as  they  appear 
lo  the  Divine  Mind. 

In  contemplating  the  human  faculties,  thus  exquisitely 
formed,  and  exactly  balanced,  we  feel  the  same  kind  of  plea 
sure  which  arises  from  a  view  of  a,  magnificent  palace,  or  an 
extensive  and  variegated  prospect;  but  with  this  difference, 
that  "the  pleasure,  in  the  first  instance,  is  as  much  superior 
to  that  which  arises  from  contemplating  the  latter  objects,  as 
the  mind  of  man  is  superior,  in  its  importance,  to  the  most 
finished  productions  of  nature  or  of  art. 

DH.  CULLEN  possessed  not  only  the  genius  that  has  been 
described,  but  an  uncommon  share  cf  learning,  reading,  and 
knowledge. 

His  learning  was  of  a  peculiar  and  useful  kind— He  ap 
peared  to  have  overstepped  the  slow  and  tedious  forms  of  the 
schools,  und,  by  the  force  of  his  understanding,  to  have  seized 
upon  the  great  ends  of  learning,  without  the  assistance  of 
many  of  those  means  which  were  contrived  for  the  use  of  less 
active  minds.  He  read  the  ancient  Greek  and  Roman  wri 
ters  only  for  the  sake  of  the  knowledge  which  they  contained; 
-without  wasting  any  of  the  efforts  of  his  genius  in  attempting 


DR.    WILLIAM      CULLEN.  319 

to  imitate  their  style.  He  was  intimately  acquainted  -with 
modern  languages,  and  through  their  means,  with  the  im 
provements  of  medicine  in  every  country  in  Europe.  Such 
was  the  facility  with  which  he  acquired  a  language,  and  so 
great  was  his  enterprise  in  his  researches  in  medicine,  that 
I  once  heard  him  speak  of  learning  the  Arabic  for  the  sake 
of  reading  Avicenna  in  the  original,  as  if  it  were  a  matter  of 
as  little  difficulty  to  him,  as  it  was  to  compose  a  lecture,  or 
©r  to  visit  a  patient. 

DR.  CULLEN'S  reading  was  extensive,  but  it  was  not  con 
fined  wholly  to  medicine.  He  read  books  upon  all  subjects  ; 
and  he  had  a  peculiar  art  of  extracting  something  from  all  of 
them  which  he  made  subservient  to  his  profession.  He  was 
well  acquainted  with  ancient  and  modern  history,  and  de 
lighted  in  the  poets,  among  whom  Shakespeare  was  his 
favourite.  The  history  of  our  globe,  as  unfolded  by  books  of 
geography  and  travels,  was  so  familiar  to  him  that  strangers 
could  not  converse  with  him,  without  supposing  that  he  had 
not  only  travelled,  but  that  he  had  lived  every  where.  His 
memory  had  no  rubbish  in  it.  Like  a  secretory  organ,  in 
the  animal  body,  it  rejected  every  thing  in  reading  that  could 
not  be  applied  to  some  useful  purpose.  In  this  he  has  given 
the  world  a  most  valuable  lesson,  for  the  difference  between 
error  and  useless  truth  is  very  small ;  and  a  man  is  no  \\iscr 
for  knowledge  which  he  cannot  apply,  than  he  is  rich  from 
possessing  wealth,  which  he  cannot  spend. 

DR.  CULLEN'S  knowledge  was  minute  in  every  branch  of 
medicine.  He  was  an  accurate  anatomist,  and  an  ingenious 
physiologist.  He  enlarged  the  boundaries,  and  established 
the  utility  of  Chemistry,  and  thereby  prepared  the  way  for 
the  discoveries  and  fame  of  his  illustrious  pupil  Dr.  Black 


320  AX    EULOG1UM    UPQ1C 

He  stripped  Materia  Medica,  of  most  of  the  errors  that  had 
been  accumulating  in  it  for  two  thousand  years,  and  reduced 
it  to  a  simple  and  practical  science.  He  was  intimately  ac 
quainted  with  all  the  branches  of  natural  history  and  philoso 
phy.  He  had  studied  every  ancient  and  modern  system  of 
physic.  He  found  the  system  of  Dr.  Bocrhave  universally 
adopted  when  he  accepted  a  chair  in  the  University  of  Edin 
burgh.  This  system  was  founded  chiefly  on  the  supposed 
presence  of  certain  acrid  particles  in  the  fluids,  and  in  the 
departure  of  these,  in  point  of  consistency,  from  a  natural 
state.  Dr.  Cullen's  first  object  was  to  expose  the  errors  of 
this  pathology  ;  and  to  teach  his  pupils  to  seek  for  the  causes 
of  diseases  in  the  solids.  Nature  is  always  coy.  Ever  since 
she  was  driven  from  the  heart,  by  the  discovery  of  the  circula 
tion  of  the  blood,  she  has  concealed  herself  in  the  brain  and 
nerves.  Here  she  has  been  pursued  by  Dr.  Cullen;  and  if 
he  has  not  dragged  her  to  public  view,  he  has  left  us  a  clue 
which  must  in  time  conduct  us  to  her  last  recess  in  the  hu 
man  body.  Many,  however,  of  the  operations  of  nature  in 
the  nervous  system  have  been  explained  by  him ;  and  no 
candid  man  will  ever  explain  the  whole  of  them,  without 
acknowledging  that  the  foundation  of  his  successful  inquiries 
was  laid  by  the  discoveries  of  Dr.  Culicn. 

He  was  intimately  acquainted  with  the  histories  and  dis 
tinctions  of  t'le  diseases  of  all  countries,  ages,  stations,  occu 
pations,  and  states  of  society.  While  his  great  object  was  to 
explode  useless  remedies,  he  took  pains  to  increase  the 
influence  of  diet,  dress,  air,  exercise,  and  the  action  of  the 
mind,  in  medicine.  In  a  word  he  was  a  great  practical  phy 
sician  ;  and  he  has  left  behind  him  as  many  monuments  of 
his  sviccess  in  curing  diseases,  as  he  has  of  accuracy  and 
ingenuity  in  describing  their  symptoms  and  explaining  their 
causes. 


DR.    WILLIAM      CULLEN.  321 

But  his  knowledge  was  not  confined  wholly  to  those 
sciences  which  are  intimately  connected  with  medicine.  His 
genius  was  universal,  as  to  natural  and  artificial  subjects. 
He  was  minutely  acquainted  with  the  principles  and  practices 
of  all  the  liberal,  mechanical,  and  chemical  arts  ;  and  trades 
men  were  often  directed  by  him  to  new  objects  of  observation 
and  improvement  in  their  respective  occupations.  He  de^ 
lighted  in  the  study  of  agriculture,  and  contributed  much  to 
excite  that  taste  for  agricultural  science,  which  has  of  late 
years  so  much  distinguished  the  men  of  genius  and  leisure 
in  North -Britain.  I  have  been  informed,  that  he  yielded  at 
last  to  that  passion  for  rural  improvements,  which  is  com 
mon  to  all  men,  and  amused  himself  in  the  evening  of  his  life 
by.  cultivating  a  farm  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Edinburgh. 
Happy  would  it  be  for  the  interests  of  agriculture,  if  physi 
cians  in  all  countries,  would  imitate  Dr.  Cullen  by  an  attach 
ment  to  this  noble  science ;  for  their  previous  studies  are  of 
such  a  nature  as  frequently  to  enable  them  to  arrive  at  im 
provements  in  it  without  experiments,  and  to  apply  the  ex 
periments  of  others,  in  the  most  extensive  and  profitable 
manner. 

DR.  CULLEN'S  publications  were  few  in  number  compared 
with  his  discoveries.  They  consist  of  his  Elements  of  Phy 
siology,  his  Nosologia  Methodica,  his  First  Lines  of  the 
Practice  of  Physic,  an  Essay  upon  the  Cold  produced  by  Eva 
poration,  published  in  the  second  volume  of  the  Physical  and 
Literary  Essays  of  Edinburgh,  a  Letter  to  Lord  Cathcart  up-  ' 
on  the  method  of  recovering  persons  supposed  to  be  dead 
from  drowning,  and  a  system  of  the  Materia  Medica.  These 
are  all  the  works  which  bear  his  name  ;  but  the  fruits  of  his 
inquiries  are  to  be  found  in  most  of  the  medical  publications 

T  t 


322  AN    EULOGIUM    UPON 

that  have  appeared  in  Great-Britain  within  the  last  thirty 
years.  Many  of  the  Theses,  published  in  Edinburgh  during 
his  life,  were  the  vehicles  of  his  opinions  or  practice  in  me 
dicine  :  and  few  of  them  contained  an  important  or  useful 
discovery,  which  was  not  derived  from  hints  thrown  out  in 
his  lectures. 

As  a  TEACHER  of  medicine,  Dr.  Cullen  possessed  many 
peculiar  talents.  He  mingled  the  most  agreeable  eloquence 
with  the  most  profound  disquisitions.  He  appeared  to  lighten 
upon  every  subject  upon  which  he  spoke.  His  language  was 
simple,  and  his  arrangement  methodical,  by  which  means  he 
was  always  intelligible.  From  the  moment  he  ascended  his 
chair,  he  commanded  the  most  respectful  attention  from  his 
pupils,  insomuch  that  I  never  saw  one  of  them  discover  a  sign 
of  impatience  during  the  time  of  any  of  his  lectures. 


In  the  investigation  of  truth,  he  sometimes  ventured  into 
the  regions  of  conjecture.  His  imagination  was  an  hot-bed 
of  hypotheses,  which  led  him  to  constant  observation  and  ex 
periment.  These  often  proved  the  seeds  of  subsequent  dis 
coveries.  It  was  thus  Sir  Isaac  Newton  founded  an  empire 
in  science  ;  for  most  of  his  discoveries  were  the  result  of  pre 
conceived  hypotheses.  In  delivering  new  opinions,  Dr.  Cul- 
ten  preserved  the  strictest  integrity.  I  have  known  him 
more  than  once,  refute  the  opinions  which  he  had  taught 
the  preceding  year,  even  before  the  fallacy  of  them  had  been 
suspected  by  any  of  his  pupils.  Such  instances  of  candor 
often  pass  with  the  vulgar  for  instability ;  but  they  are  the 
truest  characteristics  of  a  great  mind.  To  be  unchangeable, 
supposes  perpetual  error,  or  a  perception  of  truth  without 
the  use  of  reason  ;  but  this  sublime  act  of  intuition  belongs 
only  to  the  Deity. 


DR.    WILLIAM    CULLEN.  323 

There  was  no  tincture  of  credulity  in  the  mind  of  Dr.  Cul- 
len.  He"  taught  his  pupils  the  necessity  of  acquiring  "  the 
slow  consenting  academic  doubt."  I  mention  these  words  of 
the  poet  with  peculiar  pleasure,  as  I  find  them  in  my  notes 
of  one  of  his  lectures,  in  which  he  has  delivered  rules  for 
judging  of  the  truth  of  things  related  as  facts ;  for  he  fre 
quently  remarked  that  there  were  ten  false  facts  (if  the  ex 
pression  can  be  allowed)  to  one  false  opinion  in  medicine. 
His  Materia  Medica  abounds  with  proofs  of  the  truth  of  this 
part  of  his  character.  With  how  much  caution  does  he  ad 
mit  the  efficacy  of  medicines,  as  related  in  books,  or  as  sug 
gested  by  his  own  experience.  Who  could  have  expected  to 
have  found  so  much  modesty  in  the  writings  of  a  physician 
in  the  77th  year  of  his  age  ?  But  let  it  be  remembered,  that 
that  this  physician  was  Dr.  Cullen :  and  that  he  always  pre 
ferred  utility  to  novelty,  and  loved  truth,  more  than  fame. 

He  took  great  pains  to  deliver  his  pupils  from  the  undue 
influence  which  antiquity  and  great  names  are  apt  to  have 
upon  the  human  mind.  He  destroyed  the  superstitious  vene 
ration  which  had  been  paid  for  many  ages  to  the  names  of 
Hippocrates,  Galen,  and  other  ancient  authors,  and  inspired 
his  pupils  with  a  just  estimate  of  the  writings  of  modern  phy 
sicians.  His  constant  aim  was.  to  produce  in  their  minds  a 
change  from  a  passive  to  an  active  state  ;  and  to  force  upon 
them  such  habits  of  thinking  and  observation,  as  should  en 
able  them  to  instruct  themselves. 

As  he  admitted  no  truth  without  examination,  so  he  sub 
mitted  to  no  custom  in  propagating  it  that  was  not  reasonable. 
He  had  a  principal  share  in  the  merit  of  delivering  medicine 
from  the  fetters  of  the  Latin,  and  introducing  the  English 
language,  as  the  vehicle  of  public  instruction  in  the  univer- 


.*i24  AN    EULOOIUM    UPOX 

sity  of  Edinburgh.  Much  of  the  success  of  the/  revolution  he 
effected  in  medicine,  I  believe,  may  be  ascribed  to  this  cir 
cumstance.  Perhaps  the  many  improvements  which  have 
lately  been  made  in  medicine,  in  the  British  dominions,  may 
likewise  be  ascribed  to  the  present  fashionable  custom  of 
communicating  medical  knowledge  in  the  English  language. 
By  this  means,  our  science  has  excited  the  notice  and  in 
quiries  of  ingenious  and  observing  men  in  all  professions, 
and  thereby  a  kind  of  galaxy  has  been  created  in  the  hemis 
phere  of  medicine.  By1  assuming  an  English  dress,  it  has 
moreover  been  prepared  more  easily  to  associate  with  other 
sciences  ,-  from  each  of  which  it  has  received  assistance  arid 
support. 

In  his  intercourse  with  his  pupils  Dr.  Culkn  was  truly 
kind  and  affectionate.  Never  have  I  known  a  man  who  pos 
sessed  in  a  higher  degree  those  qualities  which  seize  upon 
every  affection  of  the  heart.  He  knew  the  rare  and  happy 
arts,  as  circumstances  required,  of  being  affable  without 
being  sociable  ;  sociable  without  being  familiar  ;  and  familiar, 
without  losing  a  particle  of  'respect.  ,  Such  was  the  interest 
he  took  in  the  health,  studied,  and  future  establishment  of 
all  his  pupils,  that  each  of  thejn  believed  that  he  possessed 
a  pre-eminence  in  his  friendship;  while  the  equal  diffusion 
cf  his  kind  offices  proved  that  he  was  the  common  friend  and 
father  of  them  all.  Sometimes  he  would  lay  aside  the  dis 
tance,  without  lessening  the  dignity  of  the  professor,  and  mix 
with  his  pupils  at  his  table  upon  terms  of  the  most  endearing 
equality.  Upon  these  occasions  his  social  affections  seemed 
to  have  an  influence  upon  his  mind.  Science,  sentiment, 
and  convivial  humor,  appeared  for  hours  together  to  strive 
which  should  predominate  in  his  conversation.  I  appeal  to 
you,  gentlemen,  who  have  shared  in  the  pleasure  which  1 


DR.    WILLIAM     CULLEN.  325 

have  described,  for  the  justice  of  the  picture  which  I  have 
drawn  of  him  at  his  hospitable  table.  You  will  recollect, 
with  me,  how  agreeably  he  accommodated  himself  to  our 
different  capacities  and  tempers;  how  kindly  he  dissipated 
our  youthful  blushes,  by  inviting  us  to  ask  him  questions ; 
and  how  much  he  taught  us,  by  his  inquiries,  of  the  nature 
of  the  soil,  climate,  products,  and  diseases  of  even  our  own 
country. 

From  the  history  that  has  been  given  of  Dr.  Cullen,  we 
shall  not  be  surprised  at  the  reputation  which  he  gave  to  the 
university  of  Edinburg,  for  upwards  of  thirty  years.  The 
city  of  Edinburg  during  his  life  became  the  very  atmosphere 
of  medicine.  But  let  me  not  here  be  unjust  to  the  merits  of 
his  illustrious  colleagues.  The  names  of  Whytt,  Rutherford, 
the  Monroes,  Black,  the  Gregories,  Hope,  and  Home,  will 
always  be  dear  to  the  lovers  of  medical  science.  May  e very- 
healing  plant  bloom  upon  the  graves  of  those  of  them  who 
are  departed!  and  may  those  who  have  survived  him  together 
\vith  their  new  associate,  the  learned  and  excellent  Dr.  Dun 
can,  long  continue  to  maintain  the  honor  of  that  justly  cele 
brated  school  of  medicine ! 

It  remains  now  that  I  add  a  short  -account  of  Dr.  Cullen's 
conduct  as  a  physician  and  a  man. 

In  his  attendance  upon  his  patients,  he  made  their  health 
his  first  object,  and  thereby  confirmed  a  line  between  the 
mechanical  and  liberal  professions  ;  for  while  wealth  is  pur 
sued  by  the  former,  as  the  end  of  labour,  it  should  be  left  by 
the  latter,  to  follow  the  more  noble  exertions  of  the  mind. 
So  gentle  and  sympathizing  was  Dr.  Cullen's  manner  in  a 
sick  room,  that  pain  and  distress  seemed  to  be  suspended  in 


•'-I'  AN    EULOGIUM    UPON 

his  presence.  Hope  followed  his  footsteps,  and  death  Ap 
peared  frequently  to  drop  his  commission  in  a  combat  witli 
ms  skill.  He  was  compassionate  and  charitable  to  the  poor; 
and  from  his  pupils,  who  consulted  him  in  sickness,  he  con 
stantly  refused  to  receive  any  pecuniary  satisfaction  for  his 
services. 

In  his  intercourse  with  the  world  he  exhibited  the  man 
ners  of  a  well-bred  gentleman.  He  exercised  upon  all  occa 
sions  the  agreeable  art,  in  which  true  politeness  is  said  to 
consist,  of  speaking  with  civility,  and  listening  with  attention 
to  every  body.  His  conversation  was  at  all  times  animated, 
agreeable  and  instructing.  Few  persons  went  into  his  com 
pany  without  learning  something ;  and  even  a  common 
thought,  by  passing  through  his  mind,  received  an  impres 
sion,  which  ma/le  it  ever  afterwards  worthy  of  being  pre 
served- 

He  was  a  strict  economist  of  time.  He  seldom  went  out 
*f  his  house  in  his  carriage,  or  a  sedan  chair,  without  a  book 
in  his  hand ;  and  he  once  told  me  ,  that  he  frequently  em 
ployed  one  of  his  sons  to  read  to  him  after  he  went  to  bed, 
that  he  might  not  lose  that  portion  of  time  which  passes  be 
tween  lying  down,  and  falling  asleep. 

He  was  remarkably  punctual  to  all  his  professional  engage 
ments.  He  appeared  to  consider  time  as  a  species  of  property 
which  no  man  had  a  right  to  take  from  another  without  his 

tonsenl. 

It  was  by  means  of  his  economy  and  punctuality  in  the 
use  of  time,  that  he  accomplished  so  much  in  his  profession. 
I  Jiavc  read  of  some  men  who  have  spent  more  time  in  their 
rlosets,  and  of  others  who  have  done  more  business ;  but  I 


DR.    WILLIAM    CULLllN.  327 

have  never  read,  nor  heard  of  a  man,  who  mingled  more 
study  and  business  together.  He  lived  by  rule,  without  sub 
jecting  himself  to  the  slavery  of  forms.  He  was  always  em 
ployed,  but  never  in  a  hurry ;  and  amidst  the  numerous  and 
complicated  avocations  of  study  and  business,  he  appeared  to 
enjoy  the  pleasure  of  society,  as  if  company-keeping  and 
conversation  were  the  only  business  of  his,  life. 

I  shall  mention  but  one  more  trait  in  the  character  of  Dr. 
Cullen,  and  that  is,  that  he  was  distinguished  by  no  one  sin 
gularity  of  behaviour  from  pther  men.  It  is  true  he  stood 
alone ;  but  this  singularity  was  occasioned,  not  by  his  quit 
ting  the  society  of  his  fellow-men  by  walking  on  their  left,  or 
right  side,  but  by  his  walking  before  them.  Eccentricities 
in  behaviour  are  the  offspring  of  a  lively  fancy  only,  but  or 
der  is  inseparably  connected  with  real  genius.  The  actions 
of  the  former  may  be  compared  to  the  crooked  flash  of  dis 
tant  lightning,  while  the  latter  resembles  in  its  movement* 
the  steady  revolutions  of  the  heavenly  bodies. 

In  reviewing  the  character  which  has  been  given  of  Di\ 
Cullen,  I  am  forced  to  make  a  short  digression,  while  I  do 
homage  to  the  profession  of  physic  by  a  single  remark.  So 
great  are  the  blessings  which  mankind  derive  from  it,  that  if 
every  other  argument  failed  to  prove  the  administration  of  a 
providence  in  human  affairs,  the  profession  of  medicine  alone 
would  be  sufficient  for  that  purpose.  Who  can  think  of  the 
talents,  virtues,  and  services  of  Dr.  Cullen,  without  believing 
that  the  Creator  of  the  world  delights  in  the  happiness  of  his 
creatures,  and  that  his  tender  mercies  are  over  all  his  works ! 

For  the  information  of  such  of  the  members  of  our  college 
as  have  not  seen  Dr.  Cullen,  it  may  not  be  improper  to  add 


323  AN    EULOGJUM     UPON 

the  following1  description  of  his  person.  He  was  tall,  slender, 
and  had  a  stoop  in  his  shoulders ;  his  face  was  long ;  his 
under  lip  protruded  a  little  beyond  the  upper ;  his  nose  was 
large,  and  inclined  to  a  point  downwards  j  his  eye,  which 
was  of  a  blue  colour,  was  penetrating,  but  soft ;  and  over  his 
whole  face  was  diffused  an  air  of  mildness  and  thought, 
which  was  strongly  characteristic  of  the  constant  temper  and 
operations  of  his  mind. 

It  pleased  God  to  prolong  his  life  to  a  good  old  age.  He 
lived  near  78  years.  He  lived  to  demonstrate  how  much  the 
duration  of  all  the  faculties  of  the  mind  depends  upon  their 
constant  exercise.  He  lived  to  teaeh  his  brethren  by  his  ex 
ample,  that  the  obligations  to  acquire  and  communicate  know 
ledge,  should  cease  only  with  health  and  life ;  and  lastly,  he 
Hved  to  reap  the  fruits  of  his  labours  in  the  most  extensive 
fame  ;  for  not  only  his  pupils,  and  his  works,  had  conveyed 
his  reputation ;  but  canvass,  paper,  and  clay,  had  born.e  even 
the  image  of  his  person  to  every  quarter  of  the  globe. 

The  public  papers,  as  well  as  private  letters,  inform  us, 
that  he  survived  his  usefulness  but  a.  few  months.  He  resigned 
his  professorship  in  the  autumn  of  1789,  on  account  of  bodily 
weakness,  and  died  in  the  month  of  January  of  the  present 
year ;  a  year  fatal  to  the  pride  of  man ;  for  this  year  Franklin 
and  Howard,  as  well  as  Cullen,  have  mingled  with  the  dust. 
During  the  interval  between  his  resignation  and  his  death  he 
received  the  most  affectionate  marks  oi  public  and  private 
respect.  The  city  of  Edinburgh  voted  him  their  thanks,  and 
presented  him  with  a  piece  of  plate.  This  instance  of  public 
gratitude  deserves  our  particular  attention,  as  it  is  more  com 
mon  for  cities  to  treat  their  eminent  literary  characters  with 
neglect  during  their  lives,  and  centuries  afterwards  to  con* 


DR.    WILLIAM    CULLEX.  329 

tend  for  the  honor  of  having  given  them  birth.     The  different 
medical  societies  of  Edinburgh  followed  him  to  his  chamber 
with  addresses  full  of  gratitude  and  aifection.     In  mentioning 
these  facts,  I  am  led  to  contemplate  the  venerable  subject  of 
our  praises  in  a  situation  truly  solemn  and  interesting.     How 
pregnant  with  instruction  is  the  death-bed  of  a  physician,  who 
has  spent  a  long  life  in  extensive  and  successful  practice  !  If 
the  sorrows  we  have  relieved  are  the  surest  support  in   our 
own,  how  great  must  have  been  the  consolation  which  Dr. 
Cullen  derived,  in  his  last  hours,  from  a  review  of  his  active 
and  useful  life !  How  many   fathers  and  mothers,  husbands 
and  wives,  brothers  and   sisters,  whose   tears  he  had  wiped 
away  by  averting  the  stroke  of  death  from  the  objects  of  their 
affections,  must  have  presented  themselves  to  his  imagina 
tion,  and  soothed  his  soul  with  grateful  prayers  for  his  eternal 
welfare !  But  the  retrospect  of  the  services  he  had  rendered 
to  his  fellow-creatures,  was  not  confined  to  the  limits  of  his 
extensive  busines  in  the  city  of  Edinburgh.     While  the  illus 
trious  actions  of  most  men  may  be  viewed  with  a  naked  eye, 
the  achievements  of  Dr.   Cullen  in  the  distant  regions  of 
humanity  and  science,  can  only  be  perceived  by  the  help  of 
a  telescope.     Let  us  apply  this  instrument  to  discover  his  ex 
ploits  of  beneficence  in  every  quarter  of  the  world.     He  had 
filled  the  capitals,  and  most  of  the  towns  of  Great  -Britain 
and  Ireland  with  eminent  physicians.     Many  of  his  pupils 
had  arrived  at  the  first  honors  in  their  profession  in  the  prin 
cipal  cities  on  the  continent  of  Europe.     Many  of  them  had 
extended  the  blessings  of  his  improvements  in  the  principles 
and  practice  of  medicine,  to  every  British  settlement  in  die 
East  and  West  Indies,  and  to  every  free  state  in  America. 
But  the  sum  of  his  usefulness  did  not  end  here.     He  had 
taught  the  different  Professors  in  the  University  of  Pennsyl- 

Uu 


AN    EULOGIUM    UPON 

vania,  the  art  of  teaching  others  the  most  successful  methods 
of  curing  diseases,  and  thereby  he  had  conveyed  the  benefits 
of  his  discoveries  into  every  part  of-the  United  States.  How 
great  was  the  mass  of  such  accumulated  beneficence !  and 
how  sublime  must  have  been  the  pleasure  which  the  review 
of  it  created  in  his  mind  1  Had  it  been  possible  for  the  merit 
of  such  extensive  and  complicated  services  to  mankind  to 
have  rescued  one  mortal  from  the  grave,  Dr.  Cullen  had 
never  died.  But  the  decree  of  death  is  universal,  and  even 
the  healing  art,  is  finally  of  no  effect  in  saving  the  lives  of 
those  who  have  exercise.!  it  with  the  most  success  in  saving 
the  lives  of  others. 

DR.  CULLEN  is  now  no  more.  What  a  blank  has  been 
-produced  by  his  death  in  the  great  volume  of  science  I  Be 
hold  1  The  Genius  of  Humanity  weeping  at  his  feet,  while 
the  Genius  of  Medicine  lifts  up  the 'key,  which  fell  from  his 
hand  with  his  last  breath,  and  with  inexpressible  concern, 
tries  out,  "  to  whom  shall  I  give  this  instrument  ?  Who  now 
-  will  unlock  for  me  the  treasures  of  universal  nature  I" 

Venerable  Shade,  adieu  I  What  though  thy  American 
pupils  were  denied  the  melancholy  pleasure  of  following  thee 
from  thy  Professor's-chair  to  thy  sick  bed,  with  their  effu 
sions  of  gratitude,  and  praise !  What  though  we  did  not 
share  in  the  grief  of  thy  funeral  obsequies,  and  though  we 
shall  never  bedew  with  our  tears  the  splendid  monument 
which  thy  affectionate  and  grateful  British  pupils  have  decreed 
for  thce  in  the  metropolis  of  thy  native  country ;  yet  the  re 
membrance  of  thy  talents  and  virtues,  shall  be  preserved  in 
each  of  our  bosoms,  and  never  shall  we  return  in  triumph 
from  beholding  the  efficacy  of  medicine  in  curing  a  disease, 
without  feeling  our  obligations  for  the  instructions  we  have 
derived  from  thce ! 


DR.    WILLIAM    CULLEN.  331 

I  repeat  it  again,  Dr.  Cullen  is  now  no  more —No  more, 

I  mean,  a  pillar  and  ornament  of  an  ancient  seat  of  science—, 
no  more,  the  delight  and  admiration  of  his  pupils-— -no  more 
the  luminary  of  medicine  to  half  the  globe — -no  more  the 
friend  and  benefactor  of  mankind. >But  I  would  as  soon  be 
lieve  that  our  solar  system  was  created  only  to  amuse  and 
perish  like  a  rocket,  as  believe  that  a  mind  endowed  with 
such  immense  powers  of  action  and  contemplation  had  ceased 
to  exist.  Reason  bids  us  hope  that  he  will  yet  /iw— • .And 
Revelation  enables  us  to  say,  with  certainty  and  confidence, 

that  he  shall  again  live -Fain  would  I  lift  the  curtain  which 

separates  eternity  from  time,  and  inquire But  it  is  not 

for  mortals  to  pry  into  the  secrets  of  the  invisible  world. 

Such  was  the  man  whose  memory  we  have  endeavoured 
to  celebrate.  He  lived  for  our  benefit.  It  remains  only  that 
we  improve  the  event  of  his  death  in  such  a  manner,  that  he 
may  die  for  our  benefit  likewise.  For  this  purpose  I  shall 
finish  our  Eulogium  with  the  following  observations. 

I.  Let  us  learn  from  the  character  of  Dr.  Cullen  duly  to 
estimate  our  profession.    While  Astronomy  claims  a  Newton? 
and  Electricity  a  Franklin,  Medicine  has  been  equally  ho* 
noured  by  having  employed  the  genius  of  a  Cullen.     When 
ever  therefore  we  feel  ourselves  disposed  to  relax  in  our  stu 
dies,  to  use  our  profession  for  selfish  purposes,  or  to  neglect  | 
the  poor,  let  us  recollect  how  much  we  lessen  the  dignity 
which  Dr.  Cullen  has  conferred  upon  our  profession. 

II.  By  the  death  of  Dr.  Cullen  the  republic  of  medicine 
has  lost  one  of  its  most  distinguished  and  useful  members. 
It  is  incumbent  upon  us  therefore  to  double  our  diligence 
in  order  to  supply  the  loss  of  our  indefatigable  felknv-citizcTi. 


AN    EULOGIUM    UPON 

That  physician  has  lived  to  little  purpose,  who  docs  not  leave 
his  profession  hi  a  more  improved  state  than  he  found  it.  Let 
us  remember,  that  our  obligations  to  add  something  to  the 
capital  of  medical  knowledge,  are  equally  binding  with  our 
obligations  to  practise  the  virtues  of  integrity  and  humanity 
in  our  intercourse  with  our  patients.  Let  no  useful  fact  there 
fore,  however  inconsiderable  it  may  appear,  be  kept  back 
from  the  public  eye ;  for  there  are  mites  in  science  as  well 
as  in  charity,  and  the  remote  consequences  of  both  are  often 
alike  important  and  beneficial.  Facts  are  the  morality  of 
medicine.  They  are  the  same  in  all  ugcs  and  in  all  countries, 
They  have  preserved  the  works  of  the  immortal  Sydenham 
from  being  destroyed  by  their  mixture  with  his  absurd  theo 
ries  ;  and  under  all  the  revolutions  in  systems  that  will  proba 
bly  take  place  hereafter,  the  facts  which  are  contained  in  Dr. 
Cullen's  works,  will  constitute  the  best  security  for  their  safe 
and  grateful  reception  by  future  ages. 

III.  Human  nature  is  ever  prone  to  extremes.  While  we 
celebrate  the  praises  of  Dr.  Cullen,  let  us  take  care  lest  we 
check  a  spirit  of  free  inquiry,  by  too  great  a  regard  for  his 
authority  in  medicine.  I  well  remember  an  observation 
suited  to  our  present  purpose  which  he  delivered  in  his  intro 
duction  to  a  course  of  lectures  on  the  Institutes  of  Medicine 
in  the  year  1766.  After  speaking  of  the  long  continued  and 
extensive  empire  of  Galen  in  the  schools  of  physic,  he  said, 
"  It  is  a  great  disadvantage'  to  any  science  to  have  been  im- 
«  proved  by  a  great  man.  His  authority  imposes  indolence, 
"  timidity,  or  idolatry  upon  all  who  come  after  him." — .Let 
us  avoid  these  evils  in  our  veneration  for  Dr.  Cullen.  To 
believe  in  great  men,  is  often  as  great  an  obstacle  to  the  pro 
gress  of  knowledge,  as  to  believe  in  witches  and  conjurers.  It 
is  the  image  worship  of  science ;  for  error  is  as  much  aji 


DR.    WILLIAM    CULLEN.  33o 

attribute  of  mail,  as  the  desire  of  happiness ;  and  I  think  I 
have  observed,  that  the  errors  of  great  men  partake  of  the 
dimensions  of  their  minds,  and  are  often  of  a  greater  magni 
tude  than  the  errors  of  men  of  inferior  understanding.  Dr. 
Brown  has  proved  the  imperfection  of  human  genius,  by  ex 
tending  some  parts  of  Dr.  Cullen's  system  of  physic,  and 
by  correcting  some  of  its  defects.  But  he  has  left  much  to 
be  done  by  his  successors ,  He  has  even  bequeathed  to  them 
the  labor  of  removing  the  errors  he  has  introduced  into  medi 
cine  by  his  neglect  of  an  important  principle  in  the  animal 
economy,  and  by  his  ignorance  of  the  histories  and  symp 
toms  of  diseases.  Perhaps  no  system  of  medicine  can  be 
perfect,  while  there  exists  a  single  disease  which  we  do  not 
know,  or  cannot  cure.  If  this  be  true,  then  a  complete  sys 
tem  of  medicine  cannot  be  formed,  till  America  has  furnished 
descriptions  and  cures  of  all  her  peculiar  diseases.  The 
United  States  have  improved  the  science  of  civil  government. 
The  freedom  of  our  constitutions,  by  imparting  vigor  and 
independence  to  the  mind,  is  favourable  to  bold  and  original 
thinking  upon  all  subjects.  Let  us  avail  ourselves  therefore 
of  this  political  aid  to  our  researches,  and  endeavour  to  obtain 
histories  and  cures  of  all  our  diseases,  that  we  may  thereby 
contribute  our  part  towards  the  formation  of  a  complete  sys 
tem  of  medicine.  As  a  religion  of  some  kind  is  absolutely 
necessary  to  promote  morals;  so  systems  of  medicine  of 
some  kind,  are  equally  necessary  to  produce  a  regular  mode 
of  practice.  They  are  not  only  necessary,  but  unavoidable 
in  medicine ;  for  no  physician,  nay  more,  no  empire,  prac 
tices  without  them. 

The  present  is  an  age  of  great  improvement.  While  the 
application  of  reason  to  the  sciences  of  government  and  reli 
gion,  is  daily  meliorating  the  condition  of  mankind,  it  is 


33-1  AN    EULOGIl'M    UPON'     DR.    WILLIAM    CULLEN. 

agreeable  to  observe  the  influence  of  medicine,  in  lessening 
human  misery,  by  abating  the  mortality  or  violence  of  many 
diseases.  The  decrees  of  heaven  appear  to  be  fulfilling  by 
natural  means ;  and  if  no  ancient  prophecies  had  declared  it, 
the  late  numerous  discoveries  in  medicine  would  authorize  us 
to  say,  that  the  time  is  approaching,  when  not  only  tyranny, 
discord  and  superstition  shall  cease  from  our  world,  but  when 
diseases  shall  be  unknown,  or  cease  to  be  incurable ;  and 
when  old  age  shall  be  the  only  outlet  of  human  life, 

"  Thus  heaven-ward  all  things  tend." 

In  that  glorious  sera,  every  discovery  in  medicine  shall 
meet  with  its  full  reward ;  and  the  more  abundant  gratitude 
of  posterity  to  the  name  of  Dr.  Cullen  ;  shall  then  bury  in 
oblivion  the  feeble  attempt  of  this  day  to  comply  with  your 
vote  to  perpetuate  his  fame. 


AN  EULOGIUM  UPON  DAVID  RITTENHOUSE,,  LATE  PRESI 
DENT  OF  THE  AMERICAN  PHILOSOPHICAL  SOCIETY  J  DE 
LIVERED  BEFORE  THE  SOCIETY  IN  THE  FIRST  PRESBY 
TERIAN  CHURCH  IN  HIGH-STREET,  PHILADELPHIA,  ON 
THE  17TH  DECEMBER,  1796,  AGREEABLY  TO  APPOINT 
MENT,  AND  PUBLISHED  AT  THE  REQUEST  OF  THE  SOCI 
ETY. 


Gentlemen  of  the  Philosophical  Society* 
Friends  and  Colleagues, 

WE  are  assembled  this  day  upon  a  mournful  occasion. 
Death  has  made  an  inroad  upon  our  Society.  Our 
illusirious  and  beloved  PRESIDENT,  is  no  more.  KITTEN- 
HOUSE,  the  ingenious,  the  modest  and  the  wise — RITTEX- 
HOUSE,  the  friend  of  God  and  man,  is  now  no  more  !  •  •  • 
For  this,  the  temple  of  science  is  hung  in  mourning—for  this 
our  eyes  now  drop  a  tributary  tear.  Nor  do  we  weep  alone- 
—The  United  States  of  America  sympathize  in  our  grief, 
for  his  name  gave  a  splendor  to  the  American  character,  and 
the  friends  of  humanity  in  distant  parts  of  the  world,  unite 
with  us  in  lamenting  our  common  loss — for  he  belonged  to 
the  whole  human  race. 

By  your  vote  to  perpetuate  the  memory  of  this  great  and 
good  man,  you  have  made  a  laudable  attempt  to  rescue  phi 
losophers  from  their  humble  rank  in  the  history  of  mankind. 
*  It  is  to  them  we  owe  our  knowledge  and  possession  of  most 
of  the  necessaries  and  conveniences  of  life.    To  procure  these 


o  AN    EULOGIUM    UPON 

blessings  for  us,  "  they  trim  their  midnight  lamp,  and  hang 
o'er  the  sickly  taper."  For  us,  they  traverse  distant  regions, 
expose  themselves  to  the  inclemencies  of  the  weather,  mingle 
with  savages  and  beasts  of  prey,  and  in  some  instances,  evince 
their  love  of  science  and  humanity  by  the  sacrifice  of  their 
lives. 

The  amiable  philosopher  whose  talents  and  virtues  are  to 
be  the  subject  of  the  following  eulogium,  is  entitled  to  an  un 
common  portion  of  our  gratitude  and  praise.  He  acquired 
his  knowledge  at  the  expense  of  uncommon  exertions,  he 
performed  services  of  uncommon  difficulty,  and  finally  he  im 
paired  his  health,  and  probably  shortened  his  life,  by  the  ar 
dor  of  his  studies  and  labors  for  the  benefit  of  mankind. 

In  attempting  to  discharge  the  difficult  and  painful  duty 
you  have  assigned  to  me,  it  will  be  necessary  to  give  a  short 
account  of  the  life  of  Mr.  Rittenhouse,  inasmuch  as  several 
of  the  most  interesting  parts  of  his  character  are  intimately 
connected  with  it. 

The  village  of  Germantown  in  the  neighbourhood  of  this 
city,  had  the  honor  of  giving  birth  to  this  distinguished 
philosopher  on  the  8th  day  of  April,  in  the  year  1732.  His 
ancestors  migrated  from  Holland  about  the  beginning  of  the 
present  century.  They  were  distinguished,  together  with 
his  parents,  for  probity,  industry,  and  simple  manners.  It 
is  from  sourses  thus  pure  and  retired,  that  those  talents  and 
virtues  have  been  chiefly  derived,  which  have  in  all  ages 
enlightened  the  world.  They  prove  by  their  humble  origin, 
that  the  Supreme  Being  has  not  surrendered  up  the  direction 
of  human  affairs  to  the  advantages  acquired  by  accident  or 
vice,  and  they  bear  a  constant  and  faithful  testimony  of  hi* 


DAVID    RITTENHOUSE.  337 

impartial  goodness,  by  their  necessary  and  regular  influence 
in  equalizing  the  condition  of  mankind.  This  is  the  divine 
order  of  things,  and  every  attempt  to  invert  it,  is  a  weak 
and  unavailing  effort  to  wrest  the  government  of  the  world 
from  the  hands  of  God. 

The  early  part  of  the  life  of  Mr.  Rittenhouse  Was  spent  in 
agricultural  employments  under  the  eye  of  his  father,  in  the 
county  of  Montgomery,  twenty  miles  from  Philadelphia,  to 
which  place  he  removed  during  the  childhood  of  his  son.  It 
was  at  this  place  his  peculiar  genius  first  discovered  itself. 
Kis  plough,  the  fences,  and  even  the  stones  of  the  field  in 
which  he  worked,  were  frequently  marked  with  figures 
which  denoted  a  talent  for  ma::  -matic.J  studies.  Upon 
finding  that  the  native  delicacy  of  his  constitution  unfitted 
him  for  the  labors  of  husba^  Iry,  his  parents  consented  to 
his  learning  the  trade  of  clock  and  mathematical  instru 
ment  maker.  In  acqi:i.i:;g  tl.e  knowledge  of  these  useful 
arts,  he  was  his  own  instructor.— «They  afforded  him  great 
delight  inasmuch  as  they  favoured  his  disposition  to  inquire 
into  the  principles  of  natural  philosophy.— Constant  employ 
ment  of  any  kind,  even  in  the  practice  of  the  mechanical  arts 
has  been  found,  in  many  instances,  to  administer  vigor  to 
human  genius.  Franklin  studied  the  laws  of  nature,  while 
he  handled  his  printing  types.  The  father  of  Rousseau,  a 
jeweller  at  Geneva,  became  acquainted  with  the  principles  of 
national  jurisprudence,  by  listening  to  his  son  while  he  read  to 
him  in  his  shop,  the  works  of  Grotius  and  Puffendorf ;  and 
Herschel  conceived  the  great  idea  of  a  new  planet,  while  he 
exercised  the  humble  office  of  a  musician  to  a  marching  re 
giment. 

Xx 


338  AN    EULOC1UM    UPON 

It  was  during  the  residence  of  our  ingenious  philosopher 
with  his  father  in  the  country,  that  he  made  himself  master 
of  Sir  Isaac  Newton's  principia,  which  he  read  in  the  English 
translation  of  Mr.  Mott.  It  was  here  likewise  he  became  ac 
quainted  with  the  science  of  fluxions,  of  which  sublime  in 
vention  he  believed  himself  for  a  while  to  be  the  author,  nor 
did  he  know  for  some  years  afterwards,  that  a  contest  had 
been  carried  on  between  Sir  Isaac  Newton  and  Leibnitz,  for 
the  honor  of  that  great  and  useful  discovery.  What  a  mind 

was  here  ! Without  literary  friends  or  society,  and 

with  but  two  or  three  books,  he  became,  before  he  had  reached 
his  four  and  twentieth  year,  the  rival  of  the  two  greatest 
mathematicians  in  Europe  ! 


It  was  in  this  retired  situation,  and  while  employed  in  work 
ing  at  his  trade,  that  he  planned  and  executed  an  orrery,  in 
which  he  represented  the  revolutions  of  the  heavenly"  bodies 
in  a  manner  more  extensive  and  complete,  than  had  been 
done  by  any  former  astronomers.  A  correct  description  of 
this  orrery  drawn  up  by  the  Rev.  Dr.  Smith,  is  published  in 
the  first  volume  of  our  Transactions.  This  master-piece  of 
ingenious  mechanism  was  purchased  by  the  college  of  New- 
Jersey.  A  second  was  made  by  him,  after  the  same  model, 
for  the  use  of  the  college  of  Philadelphia.  It  now  forms  part 
of  the  philosophical  apparatus  of  the  University  of  Pennsyl 
vania,  where  it  has  for  many  years  commanded  the  admira 
tion  of  the  ingenious  and  the  learned,  from  every  part  of  the 
world. 

The  reputation,  he  derived  from  the  construction  of  thi.6 
orrery,  as  well  as  his  general  character  for  mathematical 
knowledge,  attracted  the  notice  of  his  fellow-citizens  in  Penn 
sylvania,  and  in  several  of  the  neighbouring  states,  but  the 


DAVID    RITTENHOUSE.  339 

discovery  of  his  uncommon  merit  belonged  chiefly  to  his 
brother-in-law,  the  Rev  Mr.  Barton,  Dr.  Smith,  and  the  late 
Mr.  John  Lukens,  an  ingenious  mathematician  of  this  city. 
These  gentlemen  fully  appreciated  his  talents,  and  united  in 
urging  him  to  remove  to  Philadelphia,  in  order  to  enlarge 
his  opportunities  of  improvement  and  usefulness.  He  yielded 
with  reluctance  to  their  advice,  and  exchanged  his  beloved 
retirement  in  the  country  for  this  city,  in  the  year,  1770. 
Here  he  continued  for  several  years,  to  follow  his  occupation 
of  a  clock  and  mathematical  instrument  maker.  He  excelled 
in  both  branches  of  that  business.  His  mathematical  instru 
ments  have  been  esteemed  by  good  judges  to  be  superior  in 
accuracy  and  workmanship  to  any  of  the  same  kind  that  have 
been  imported  from  Europe. 

About  the  time  he  settled  in  Philadelphia,  he  became  a 
member  of  our  Society.  His  first  communication  to  the  So 
ciety  was  a  calculation  of  the  transit  of  Venus  as  it  was  to  hap 
pen  on  the  3d  of  June,  1769,  in  40°  north  latitude,  and  5 
hours  west  longitude  from  Greenwich.  He  was  one  of  a  com 
mittee  appointed  by  the  Society  to  observe,  in  the  township  of 
Norrington,  this  rare  occurrence  in  the  revolution,  of  that  pla 
net,  and  bore  an  active  part  in  the  preparations  which  were 
made  for  that  purpose.  Of  this  Dr.  Smith  who  was  likewise  of 
the  committee,  has  left  an  honourable  record  in  the  history  of 
that  event  which  is  published  in  the  first  volume  of  the  tran 
sactions  of  our  Society.  "  As  Mr.  Rittenhouse's  dwelling 
(says  the  Doctor)  is  about  twenty  miles  north  west  from  Phi 
ladelphia  ;  our  other  engagements  did  not  permit  Mr.  Lukens 
or  myself  to  pay  much  attention  to  the  necessary  preparations; 
but  we  knew  that  we  had  intrusted  them  to  a  gentleman  on 
the  spot  [meaning  Mr.  Rittenhouse]  who  had,  joined  to  a 
complete  skill  in  mechanics,  so  extensive  and  astronomical, 


340  AN*  EULOGIUM  UPOW 

and  mathematical  knowledge,  that  the  use,  management  and 
even  construction  of  the  apparatus,  were  perfectly  familiar  to 
"him.  The  laudable  pains  he  had  taken  in  these  material  ar 
ticles  will  best  appear  from  the  work  itself,  which  he  hath 
committed  into  my  hands,  with  a  modest  introduction,  giving 
me  a  liberty  with  them,  which  his  own  accuracy,  taste  and 
abilities  leave  no  room  to  exercise.'* 

We  are  naturally  led  here  to  take  a  view  of  our  philoso 
pher  with  his  associates  in  their  preparations  to  observe  a 
phenomenon  which  had  never  been  seen  but  twice  before  by 
any  inhabitant  of  our  earth,  which  would  never  be  seen  again 
by  any  person  then  living,  and  on  which  depended  very  im 
portant  astronomical  consequences.  The  night  before  the 
long  expected  day,  was  probably  passed  in  a  degree  of  solici 
tude  which  precluded  sleep.  How  great  must  have  been 
their  joy  when  he  beheld  the  morning  sun,  "  and  the  whole 
horizon  without  a  cloud  ;"  for  such  is  the  description  of  the 
day  given  by  Mr.  Rittenhouse  in  the  report  referred  to  by 
Dr.  Smith.  In  pensive  silence,  and  trembling  anxiety  they 
waited  for  the  predicted  moment  of  observation ;  it  came, 
and  brought  with  it  all  that  had  been  wished  for  and  expected 
by  those  who  saw  it.  In  our  philosopher,  it  excited  in  the 
instant  of  one  of  the  contacts  of  the  planet  with  the  sun,  an 
emotion  of  delight  so  exquisite  and  powerful,  as  to  induce 
fainting.  This  will  readily  be  believed  by  those  who  have 
known  the  extent  of  that  pleasure  which  attends  the  discovery, 
or  first  perception  of  truth.  Soon  after  this  event,  we  find 
him  acting  as  one  of  a  committee  appointed  to  observe  the 
transit  of  Mercury  on  the  9th  of  November  in  the  same  year. 
This  was  likewise  done  at  Norrington.  An  account  of  it  was 
drawn  up,  and  published  at  the  request  of  the  committee  by 
Dr.  Smith.  A  minute  history  of  the  whole  of  these  events. 


DAVID    RITTENHOUSE.  4 

in  which  Mr.  Rittcnhouse  continued  to  act  a  distinguished 
part,  is  given  in  our  transactions.  It  was  received  with  great- 
satisfaction  by  the  astronomers  of  Europe,  and  contributed, 
much  to  raise  the  character  of  our  then  infant  country  for 
astronomical  knowledge. 

In  the  year  1775,  he  was  appointed  to  compose  and  deliver 
the  annual  oration  before  our  society.  The  subject  of  it,  was 
the  history  of  astronomy.  The  language  of  this  oration  is 
simple,  but  the  sentiments  contained  in  it  are  ingenious,  ori 
ginal,  and  in  some  instances  sublime.  It  was  delivered  in  a 
feeble  voice,  and  without  any  of  the  advantages  of  oratory, 
but  it  commanded,  notwithstanding,  the  most  profound  atten 
tion,  and  was  followed  by  universal  admiration  and  applause 
from  a  crowded  and  respectable  audience. 

From  the  contents  of  this  oration,  it  appears  that  Astro 
nomy  was  the  favourite  object  of  his  studies. 

Attempts  have  been  made  to  depreciate  this  branch  of 
natural  philosophy,  by  denying  its  utility,  and  application  to 
human  affairs.— .The  opinion  is  an  unjust  one,  and  as  it  tends 
to  convey  a  limited  idea  of  the  talents  of  Mr.  Rittenhouse, 
I  hope  I  shall  be  excused  in  saying  a  few  words  in  favour  of 
this  science. 

It  is  to  astronomy  we  are  indebted  for  our  knowledge  of 
navigation,  by  which  means  the  different  parts  of  our  g?obe 
have  been  discovered,  and  afterwards  cemented  together  by 
the  mutual  wunts  and  obligations  of  commerce. 

It  was  astronomy  that  taught  mankind  the  art  of  predicting 
and  explaining  eclipses  of  the  Sun  and  Moon,  and  thereby 


•542  AN    EULOGIUM    UPON 

delivered  them  from  the  superstition  which  in  the  early  ages 
of  the  world,  was  connected  with  those  phenomena  of  nature. 

We  are  taught  by  astronomy  to  correct  our  ideas  of  the 
visible  heavens,  and  thus  by  discovering  the  fallacy  of  the 
simple  evidence  of  our  senses,  to  call  to  their  aid,  the  use  of 
our  reason,  in  deciding  upon  all  material  objects  of  human 
knowledge. 

.  Astronomy  delivers  the  mind  from  a  groveling  attachment 
to  the  pursuits  and  pleasure  of  this  world.  "  Take  the 
miser  (says  our  philosopher  in  his  oration)  from  the  earth,  if 
it  be  possible  to  disengage  him — -he  whose  nightly  rest  has 
been  long  broken  by  the  loss  of  a  single  foot  of  it,  useless 
perhaps  to  him ;  and  remove  him  to  the  planet  Mars,  one  of 
the  least  distant  from  us — Persuade  the  ambitious  monarch 
to  accompany  him,  who  has  sacrificed  the  lives  of  thousands 
of  his  subjects  to  an  imaginary  property  in  certain  small  por 
tions  of  the  earth,  and  point  out  this  earth  to  them,  with  all 
its  kingdoms  and  wealth,  a  glittering  star,  close  by  the  moon, 
the  latter  scarce  visible,  and  the  former,  less  bright  than  our 
evening  star — -They  would  turn  away  their  disgusted  sight 
from  it,  not  thinking  it  worth  their  smallest  attention,  and 
iwjek  for  consolation,  in  the  gloomy  regions  of  Mars." 

Once  more — the  study  of  astronomy  has  the  most  friendly 
influence  upon  morals,  and  religion.  "  Yes,"  (says  our  phi 
losopher  in  another  part  of  his  oration)  "  the  direct  tendency 
of  this  science  is  to  dilate  the  heart  with  universal  benevo 
lence,  and  to  enlarge  its  views.  It  flatters  no  princely  vice, 
nor  national  depravity.  It  encourages  not  the  libertine  by 
relaxing  any  of  the  precepts  of  morality,  nor  does  it  attempt 
to  undermine  the  foundations  of  religion.  It  denies  none  of 


DAVID    RITTENHOUSE.  34-3 

those  attributes,  which  the  wisest  and  best  of  mankind  have 
in  all  ages  ascribed  to  the  Deity.  Nor  does  it  degrade  the 
human  mind  from  that  dignity  which  is  ever  necessary  to 
make  it  contemplate  itself  with  complacency.  None  of  thes* 
things  does  astronomy  pretend  to,  and  if  these  things  merit 
the  name  of  philosophy,  and  the  encouragement  of  a  people, 
then  let  scepticism  flourish,  and  astronomy  lie  neglected.—* 
Let  the  names  of  Barkley  and  Hume  become  immortal,  and 
that  of  Newton  be  lost  in  oblivion."— 

The  following  is  a  list  of  such  of  Mr.  Rittenhouse's  other 
publications  as  are  contained  in  the  three  volumes  of  ouf 
transactions. 

Observations  of  the  comet  which  appeared  in  June  and 
July  1770,  with  the  elements  of  its  motion  and  the  trajectory 
of  its  path,  in  a  letter  to  Dr.  William  Smith. 

An  easy  method  of  deducing  the  true  time  of  the  sun's, 
passing  the  meridian,  by  means  of  a  clock,  from  a  compari 
son  of  four  equal  attitudes,  observed  on  two  succeeding  days, 
without  the  help  of  the  equation  tables,  communicated  by 
Dr.  William  Smith. 

An  explanation  of  an  opticle  deception,  namely,  that  the 
surfaces  of  bodies  viewed  through  the  double  microscope, 
sometimes  appear  to  be  reversed,  that  is,  those  parts  which 
are  elevated  seem  depressed,  and  the  contrary. 

An  account  of  a  remarkable  meteor  observed  at  Philadel 
phia  on  the  31st  of  October,  1775,  with  some  conjectures 
relative  to  the  theory  of  meteors,  in  answer  to  a  letter  from 
John  Page  Esq.  giving  an  account  of  the  same  meteor  seen 
in  many  distant  places  in  Virginia. 


344  AN    EULOGIUM    UPON 

Conjectures,  corroborated  by  experiments,  relative  to  a 
new  theory  of  magnetism ;  in  a  letter  to  John  Page,  Esq.  of 
Virginia.  * 

A  new  method  of  placing  a  meridian  mark  for  a  transit  in 
strument  within  a  few  feet  of  the  observatory,  so  as  to  have 
all  the  advantages  of  one  placed  at  a  great  distance ;  in  a 
letter  to  the  Rev.  Dr.  John  E  \ving. 

Observations  on  a  comet  discovered  in  the  month  of  Janu 
ary  1784. 

An  explanation  of  a  curious  optical  phenomenon,  namely, 
if  a  candle  or  other  luminous  body  be  viewed  through  a  silk 
umbrella,  handkerchief  or  the  like,  the  luminous  body  will 
appear  to  be  doubled ;  in  a  letter  to  Francis  Hopkinson,  Esq. 

A  series  of  observations  made  at  sundry  times  in  the  years 
1784,  85,  and  86  on  the  new  planet,  or  Georgium  Sidus, 
also  an  observation  of  the  transit  of  Mercury  over  the  Sun's 
disk  on  the  12th  of  November  1782. 

An  account  of  three  houses  in  Philadelphia  struct  with 
lightning  on  the  7th  of  June  1789. 

An  account  of  the  effects  of  a  stroke  of  lightning  upon  a 
house  furnished  with  two  metallic  conductors  on  the  17th  of 
August,  1789 ;  in  a  letter  to  Mr.  Robert  Patterson. 

Astronomical  observations  made  at  Philadelphia,  contain 
ing  an  account  of  the  eclipse  of  the  Moon  on  the  2d  of  No 
vember  1789. 

An  account  of  the  transit  of  Mercury  over  the  Sun's  disk, 
on  the  5th  of  November  1789. 


DAVID    RlTTENHOUSE.  345 

An  account  of  the  eclipse  of  the  Sun,  on  the  6th.  of  No 
vember  1790,  with  an  account  of  corresponding  observations, 
made  at  the  University  of  \\  illiam  and  Mary,  in  Virginia,  by 
Dr.  J.  Madison,  and  at  Washington  College,  in  Maryland,  by 
the  Rev.  Dr.  Smith. 

Short  and  elegant  theorems  for  finding  the  sum  of  the 
several  powers  of  the  lines,  either  to  a  radius  of  unity,  or  any 
other ;  in  a  letter  to  Mr.  Robert  Patterson. 

An  account  of  a  comet  discovered  in  the  month  of  January 
1793  ;  in  a  letter  to  Mr.  Robert  Patterson. 

Besides  these  publications,  our  society  is  in  possession  of 
the  following  communications  from  Mr.  Rittenhouse,  which 
are  now  in  the  press  and  will  be  speedily  published  in  the 
fourth  volume  of  our  transactions. 

A  method  of  determining  the  true  plane  of  a  planet  in  an 
eliptical  form  by  converging  series,  directly  from  the  mean 
anomaly. 

A  new  and  easy  method  of  calculating  logarithms ;  in  a 
letter  to  Mr.  Rober  Patterson. 

A  description  of  an  improvement  on  pendulum  clocks,  by 
which  the  error  arising  from  the  different  density,  or  resistance 
of  the  medium  in  which  the  pendulum  vibrates,  is  effectually 
obviated. 

Lastly,  experiments  on  the  expansion  of  wood  by  heat. 

Talents  so  splendid,  and  knowledge  so  practical  in  mathe- 
matieks,  are  like  mines  of  precious  metaJs.  They 

Y  y 


0-16  AX    EULOGIUM    UPON 

public  property  by  universal  consent.  The  State  of  Pennsyl 
vania  was  not  insensible  of  the  wealth  she  possessed  in  the 
mind  of  Mr.  Rittenhouse.  She  claimed  him  as  her  own,  and 
employed  him  in  business  of  the  most  important  nature. 

In  the  year  1779  he  was  appointed  by  the  legislature  of 
Pennsylvania,  one  of  the  commissioners  for  adjusting  a  terri 
torial  dispute  between  Pennsylvania  and  Virginia,  and  to  his 
talents,  moderation  and  firmness,  were  ascribed  in  a  great 
degree,  the  satisfactory  termination,  of  that  once  alarming 
controversy  in  the  year  17,85. 

In  the  year  1784  he  assisted  in  determining  the  length  of 
five  degrees  of  longitude  from  a  point  on  the  Delaware,  in 
order  to  fix  the  western  limits  of  Pennsylvaoia. 

In  1786,  he  was  employed  in  fixing  the  northern  line  which 
divides  Pennsylvania  from  New-York. 

But  the  application  of  his  talents  and  knowledge  to  the  set 
tlement  of  territorial  disputes,  was  not  confined  to  his  native 
state.  In  the  year  1769,  he  was  employed  in  settling  the 
limits  between  New-Jersey  and  New- York,  and  in  1787  he 
was  called  upon  to  assist  in  fixing  the  boundary  line  between 
the  States  of  Massachusetts  and  New-York.  This  last  busi 
ness,  which  was  executed  with  his  usual  precision  and  inte 
grity,  was  his  farewell  peace  offering  to  the  union  and  happi 
ness  of  his  country. 

In  his  excursions  through  the  wilderness,  he  carried  with 
him  his  habits  of  inquiry  and  observation.  Nothing  in  our  moun 
tains,  soils,  rivers,  and  springs  escaped  his  notice.  It  is  to 
be  lamented  that  his  private  letters,  and  the  memories  of  his 
friends.,  are  the  only  records  of  what  he  collected  upon  these 


DAVID    RITTENHOUSE.  34T 

occasions.  Philosophers,  or  naturalist,  whosoever  thou  art!  that 
shalt  hereafter  traverse  the  unfrequented  woods  of  our  state, 
forget  not  to  respect  the  paths,  first  marked  by  the  feet  of  this 
ingenious  and  faithful  servant  of  the  public.  Honour  the 
fountains  consecrated  to  science  by  his  skilful  hand,  and  inhale 
with  double  pleasure  the  piye  atmosphere  of  the  mountains, 
on  which  he  renewed  his  acquaintance  with  the  canopy  of 
heaven,  after  passing  whole  weeks  in  forests  so  shady,  as  to 
conceal  from  him  the  rays  of  the  sun.  And  citizens  of  Penn 
sylvania,  friends  and  patrons  of  literature,  be  grateful  for  his 
services.  Let  the  remembrance  of  them  be  dear  to  the  pre 
sent  generation,  and  let  a  part  of  the  state  distinguished  in  a 
more  especial  manner  for  its  resources  in  natural  knowledge, 
bear  his  name  with  honor  to  the  latest  posterity. 

In  the  year  1791,  he  was  chosen  successor  to  Dr.  Franklin 
in  the  chair  of  our  society.  In  this  elevated  station,  the 
highest  that  philosophy  can  confer  in  our  country,  his  con 
duct  was  marked  by  its  usual  line  of  propriety  and  dignity. 
Never  did  the  artificial  pomp  of  station  command  half  the 
respect,  which  followed  his  unassuming  manners  in  the  dis 
charge  of  the  public  duties  of  this  office.  You  will  often  re 
collect,  gentlemen,  with  a  mixture  of  pleasure  and  pain,  the 
delightful  evenings  you  passed  in  the  society,  every  time  he 
presided  in>  your  meeting.  They  were  uniformly  charac 
terized  by  ardor  in  the  pursuits  of  science,  urbanity  and  bro-t 
thcrly  kindness.  His  attachment  to  the  interests  of  the  so 
ciety  was  evinced  soon  after  he  accepted  of  the  President's 
chair,  by  a  donation  of  three  hundred  pounds. 

But  his  talents  and  knowledge  were  not  limited  to  mathe 
matical  or  material  subjects  ;  his  mind  was  a  repository  of  the 
knowledge  of  all  ages  and  countries.  He  had  early  and  deeply 


AN    EULOGlLTVf     UPON 

studied  most  of  the  different  systems  of  theology.  He  was 
^roll  acquainted  with  practical  metaphysicks.  In  reading  tra 
vels  he  took  great  delight.  From  them,  he  drew  a  large 
fund  of  his  knowledge  of  the  natural  history  of  our  globe  He 
possessed  talents  for  music  and  poetry,  but  the  more  serious 
and  necessary  pursuits  of  his  life,  prevented  his  devoting 
much  time  to  the  cultivation  of  them.  He  read  the  English 
poets  with  great  pleasure  The  muse  of  Thomson  charmed 
h»m  most.  He  admired  his  elegant  combination  of  philoso 
phy  and  poetry.  However  opposed  these  studies  may  appear, 
they  alike  derive  their  perfections  from  extensive  and  accurate 
observations  of  the  works  of  nature.  He  was  intimately  ac 
quainted  with  the  French,  German  and  Dutch  languages,  the 
t\vo  former  of  which  he  acquired  without  the  assistance  of  a 
master.  They  served  the  valuable  purpose  of  conveying  to 
him  the  discoveries  of  foreign  nations,  and  thereby  enabled 
him  to  prosecute  his  studies  with  more  advantage,  in  his  na 
tive  language. 

In  speaking  of  Mr.  Rittenhouse,  it  lias  been  common  to 
lament  his  want  of  what  is  called  a  liberal  education.— -Were 
education  what  it  should  be,  in  our  public  seminaries,  this 
would  have  been  a  misfortune,  but  conducted  as  it  is  at  pre 
sent,  agreeably  to  the  systems  adopted  in  Europe  in  the  six 
teenth  century,  I  am  disposed  to  believe  that  his  extensive 
knowledge,  and  splendid  character  are  to  be  ascribed  chiefly 
to  his  having  escaped  the  pernicious  influence  of  monkish 
learning  upon  his  mind  in  early  life.  Had  the  usual  forms  of 
a  public  education  in  the  United  States  been  imposed  upon 
him ;  instead  of  revolving  through  life  in  a  planetary  orbit,  he 
would  probably  have  consumed  the  force  of  his  geniiis  by 
fluttering  around  the  blaze  of  an  evening  taper.  Rittenhouse 
the  philosopher,  and  one  of  the  luminaries  of  the  eighteenth 


DAVID    RITTENHOUSE.  349 

century,  might  have  spent  his  hours  of  study  in  composing  , 
syllogism,    or  in  measuring  the  feet   of  Greek  and   Latin  |v ' 
poetry. 

It  will  be  honourable  to  the  citizens  of  the  United  States, 
to  add,  that  they  were  not  insensible  of  the  merit  of  our  phi 
losopher.  Inventions  and  improvements  in  every  art  and 
science,  were  frequently  submitted  to  his  examination,  and 
were  afterwards  patronised  by  the  public,  according  as  they 
were  approved  by  him.  Wherever  he  went,  he  met  with  public 
respect,  and  private  attentions.  But  his  reputation  was  not 
confined  to  his  native  country.  His  name  was  known  and 
abmired  in  every  region  of  the  earth,  where  science  and  ge 
nius  are  cultivated  and  respected.* 

S.uch  were  the  talents  and  knowledge,  and  such  the  fame, 
of  our  departed  President!  His  virtues  now  demand  our  tri- 
jbute  of  praise.— And  here,  I  am  less  at  a  loss  to  know  what 
to  say,  than  what  to  leave  unsaid.  We  have  hitherto  beheld 
him  as  a  philosopher,  soaring  like  the  eagle,  until  our  eyes 
have  been  dazzled  by  his  near  approaches  to  the  sun.  We 
shall  now  contemplate  him  at  a  less  distance,  and  behold  him. 
jn  the  familiar  character  of  a  man,  fulfilling  his  various  duties 
5n  their  utmost  extent.  If  any  thing  has  been  said  of  his 
talents  and  knowledge  that  has  excited  attention,  or  kindled 


*  The  degree  of  master  of  Arts  was  conferred  upon  him 
by  the  College  of  Philadelphia,  in  1768.  The  same  degree 
was  conferred  upon  him  by  the  College  of  William  and  Mary, 
In  Virginia,  in  1784.  In  the  year  1789,  he  received  the  de 
gree  of  Doctor  of  Laws  from  the  College  of  New-Jersey. 
He  was  elected  a  Member  of  the  American  Academy  of  Arts 
and  Sciences  at  Boston  in  17S2,  and  of  the  Royal  Society  in 
London  in  1795. 


.A.V  BU   •  ''lUM  UPON 

desires  in   the  ,    •  -  rs  of  our  society,  to  pursue 

him  in  his  path  of  honor,  1<  t  me  request  them  not  to  forsake 
me  here.  .Come,  and  learn  by  his  example,  to  be  good,  as 

well  as  great. llh  \irtues  furnish  the   most  shining 

models  for  your  imitation,  for  they  were  never  obscured  in 
any  situation  or  stage  of  his  life,  by  a  single  cloud  of  weak 
ness  or  vice.  As  the  source  of  these  virtues,  whether  of  a 
public  or  private  nature,  I  shall  first  mention  his  exalted 
sense  of  moral  obligation,  founded  upon  the  revelation  of  the 
perfections  of  the  Supreme  Being.  This  appears  from  many- 
passages  in  his  oration,  and  from  his  private  letters  to  his 
friends.  In  his  oration  we  find  the  following  pious  senti 
ment.  "  Should  it  please  that  Almighty  Power  who  hath 
placed  us  in  a  world  in  which  we  are  only  permitted  <  to  look 
ttbout  us  and  to  die,'  to  indulge  us  with  existence  throughout 
that  half  of  eternity  which  still  remains  unspent,  and  to  con 
duct  us  through  the  several  stages  of  his  works,  here  (mean 
ing  in  the  study  of  astronomy)  is  ample  provision  made  for 
employing  every  faculty  of  the  mind,  even  allowing  its  pow 
ers  to  be  enlarged  through  an  endless  repetition  of  ages.  Let 
us  not  complain  of  the  vanity  of  this  world,  and  that  there  is 
nothing  in  it  capable  of  satisfying  us.  Happy  in  those  wants 
— -happy  iu  those  desires,  forever  in  succession  to  be  gratified 
—happy  in  a  continual  approach  to  the  Deity." 

•'  I  must  coniess  that  I  am  not  one  of  those  sanguine  spirits 
vho  seem  to  think  that  when  the  withered  hand  of  death  has 
drawn  up  the  curtain  of  eternity,  all  distance  between  the 
creature  and  the  Creator,  and  between  finite  and  infinite, 
trill  be  annihilated.  Every  enlargement  of  our  faculties— 
f:very  new  happiness  conferred  upon  u»>  every  step  we  ad 
vance  towards  the  Divinity,  will  very  probably  render  us 
;7;ore  and  more  sensible  of  his  inexhaustible  stores  of  coin- 
bliss,  and  of  his  inaccessible  perfections^" 


DAVID    RITTEXHOUSE.  351 

There  appeal's  to  be  a  natural  connection  between  a  know 
ledge  of  the  works  of  nature  and  just  ideas  of  the  divine  per 
fections  ;  and  if  philosophers  have  not  in  all  ages  been  equally 
devout  with  our  President,  it  becomes  us  to  acquire  how  far 
the  beneficial  influence  of  philosophy  upon  religion,  may 
have  been  prevented  by  their  minds  being  pre-occupied  in 
early  life  with  the  fictions  of  ancient  poets,  and  the  vices  of 
the  heathen  gods.  It  remains  yet  to  be  determined,  whether  all 
the  moral  as  well  as  natural  attributes  of  the  Deity  may  not 
be  discovered  in  the  form,  and  economy  of  the  material 
world,  and  whether  that  righteousness  which  descended  from 
heaven  near  eighteen  hundred  years  ago,  may  not  wait 
for  philosophical  truth  to  spring  up  from  the  earth,  in  or-  / 
der  by  uniting  with  it,  to  command  universal  belief  and  \ 
obedience.  This  opinion,  as  far  as  it  relates  to  one  ol" 
the  moral  attributes  of  the  Deity,  seems  to  have  been  ad 
mitted  by  our  philosopher  in  the  following  elegant  and  pious 
extract  from  a  letter  to  one  of  his  friends  "  give  me  leave 
(says  he)  to  mention  two  or  three  proofs  of  infinite  goodness 
in  the  works  of  creation.  The  first  is,  possessing  goodness 
in  ourselves.  Now  it  is  inconsistent  with  all  just  reasoning 
to  suppose,  that  there  is  any  thing  good,  lovely,  or  praise-wor 
thy  in  us,  which  is  not  possessed  in  an  infinitely  higher 
degree  by  that  Being  who  first  called  us  into  existence.  In- 
the  next  place  I  reckon,  the  exquisite  and  innocent  delighT* 
that  many  things  around  us  are  calculated  to  afford  us.  In 
this  light  the  beauty  and  fragrance  of  a  single  rose  is  a  better 
argument  for  divine  goodness  than  a  luxuriant  field  of  wheat. 
For  if  we  can  suppose  that  we  were  created  by  a  malevolent 
Being  with  a  design  to  torment  us  for  his  amusement,  he 
must  have  furnished  us  with  the  means  of  subsistence,  and 
either  have  made  our  condition  tolerable,  or  not  have  left  the 
means  of  quitting  it  at  pleasure,  in  our  own  power.  Such 


AN    EULOGIUM    UPON 


being  my  opinions,  you  will  not  wonder  at  my  fondness  for 
what  Mr.  Adclison  calls  '  the  pleasures  of  the  imagination.* 
They  are  all  to  me,  so  many  demonstrations  of  infinite  good- 


If  such  be  the  pious  fruits  of  an  attentive  examination  of 
the  wor^s  of  the  Creator,  cease  ye  ministers  of  the  gospel  to 
defeat  the  design  of  your  benevolent  labors,  by  interposing 
the  common  studies  of  the  schools  between  our  globe,  and 
and  the  minds  of  young  people.  Let  their  first  ideas  be 
«hose  which  are  obtruded  upon  their  senses,  by  the  hand  of 

•  nature.     Permit  the   firmament  of  heaven,  and  the  animal, 
vegetable  and  mineral  productions  of  the  earth,  to  instruct 

•  them  in  the  wisdom  and  goodness  of  the  Creator,  and  let  the 
>  effects  of  physical  evil  upon  general  happiness,  vindicate  the 
1  divine  government,  in  permitting  the  existence  of  moral  evil 
I  in  our  world.     Thus  the  perverse  passions  of  man,  may  be 

,made  to  unite  with' storms  and  tempests,  in  furnishing  proofs 
of  the  goodness  of  the  Creator  of  the  Universe. 

Bi-t  the  religion  of  Mr.  Rittcnhouse,  was  not  derived  wholly 
from  his  knowledge  and  admiration  of  the  material  world. 
He  believed  in  the  Christian  revelation.  Of  this,  he  gave 
many  proofs,  net  only  in  the  conformity  of  his  life,  to  the 
precepts  of  the  gospel,  but  in  his  letters  and  conversation.  I 
well  recollect  in  speaking  to  me  of  the  truth  and  excellency 
of  the  Christian  religion,  he  mentioned  as  an  evidence  of  its 
divine  origin,  that  the  miracles  of  our  Saviour  differed  from 
all  other  miracles,  in  being  entirely  of  a  kind  and  benevolent 
nature.  It  is  no  small  triumph  to  the  friends  of  Reyelation 
to  observe;  m  this  age  of  infidelity,  that  our  religion  has  been 
admitted  and  even  di.iendcd  by  men  of  the  most  exalted  un- 
,  r.ud  of  the  strongest  reasoning  powers.  The 


DAVID    RITTENHOU3E.  353 

single  testimony  of  David  Rittenhouse  in  its  favor,  outweighs 
the  declamations  of  whole  nations  against  it.* 

As  the  natural  effect  of  his  belief  in  the  relation  of  the 
whole  human  race  to  each  other  in  a  common  Father  and 
Redeemer,  he  embraced  the  whole  family  of  mankind  in  the 
arms  of  his  benevolence.  The  force  and  extent  of  this  virtue 
in  his  heart,  will  appear  from  my  reading  one  more  extract 
from  his  oration.  I  am  aware  how  much  I  suffer  by  intro 
ducing  quotations  from  that  eloquent  performance,  for  they 
will  cast  a  shade  upon  all  I  have  said,  or  shall  say  upon  this 
occasion. 

«c  How  far,  (says  our  philosopher)  the  inhabitants  of  the 
other  planets  may  resemble  men,  we  cannot  pretend  to  say. 
If  like  them  they  were  created  liable  to  fall,  yet  some,  if  not 
all  of  them  may  still  retain  their  original  rectitude.     We  will 
liope  they  do ;  the  thought  is  comfortable.— Cease  then  Gai- 
lileo  to  improve  thy  optic  tube,  and  thou  great  Newton,  for-  ~ 
bear  thy  ardent  search,  into  the  mysteries  of  nature,  lest  ye 
make  unwelcome  discoveries.    Deprive  us  not  of  the  pleasure  \ 
of  believing  that  yonder  orbs,  traversing  in  silent  majesty  the 
etherial  regions,  are  the  peaceful  seats  of  innocence  and  bliss, 
Where  neither  natural  or  moral  evil  has  ever  intruded,  and  \ 
where  to  enjoy  with  gratitude   and  adoration  the  Creator's 
bounty,  is  the  business  of  existence.     If  their  inhabitants  re*  i: 
semble  man  in  their  faculties  and  affections,  let  us  suppose  : 


*  Since  the  publication  of  the  EulOgium  in  a  pamphlet,  I 
have  received  the  following  account  of  Mr.  Rittenhouse's  reli 
gious  principles,  in  a  letter  from  his  widow,  dated  August  20th 
1797.  "  1  hat  you  were  sufficiently  authorized  to  assert  what 
you  did  respecting  Mr.  Rittenhouse's  religious  principles,  I 


354  AX    F.ULOG1UM    UPON 

that  they  are  wise  enough  to  govern  themselves  according 
to  the  dictates  of  that  reason^  Cod  has  given  in  such  a  man 
ner,  as  to  i».  other's  happiness  up 
on  nil  occasions.  But  if  on  the  contrary,  they  have  found  it 
necessary  to  erect  artificial  fabrics  of  government,  let  us  not 
suppose  they  have  done  it  with  so  little  skill,  and  at  such  an 
enormous  expense,  as  to  render  them  a  misfortune,  instead 
of  a  blessing.— We  will  hope  that  their  statesmen  are  patriots, 
and  that  their  kings  (if  that  order  cf  beings  has  found  admit 
tance  there)  have  the  feelings  of  humanity.  Happy  people  1 
—and  perhaps  more  happy  still,  that  all  communication  with 
us  is  denied.  We  have  neither  corrupted  you  with  our  vices, 
nor  injured  you  by  violence.  None  of  your  sons  and  daugh 
ters  have  been  degraded  from  their  native  dignity,  and  doom 
ed  to  endless  slavery  in  America,  merely  because  their  bodies 
may  be  disposed  to  reflect,  or  absorb  the  rays  of  light,  dif 
ferent  from  ours.  Even  you,  inhabitants  of  the  Moon,  situ 
ated  in  our  very  neighbourhood,  are  effectually  secured  from 
the  rapacious  hands  of  the  oppressors  of  our  globe.  And  the 
utmost  efforts  of  the  mighty  Frederick,  the  tyrant  of  the 
North,  and  scourge  of  mankind,  if  aimed  to  disturb  your 
peace,  becomes  inconceivably  ridiculous  and  impotent." 


now  add  my  testimony  to  what  you  have  said,  for  well  I  know 
the  great  truths  of  religion  engaged  much  of  his  attention, 
and  indeed  were  interwoven  with  almost  every  important  con 
cern  of  his  life.  I  do  not  recollect,  if  in  any  of  the  conversa 
tions  I  have  had  with  you,  I  informed  you,,  what  I  now  do, 
Uiat  Dr.  IVic^s  opinions  rcspcc:JM£  Chris.tu;nity  were  gujre 
in  unison  -w  it h  his  own,  thai  -ers  cf  the  divines  ;  that 

T;r.  Price's  scrmr.:>s  v» us  the    lu:-;t  book   ]•  .vd    me  to 

lo  i-i:M,  and  that  the  last  1,101  ;tiii:--  of  his  life,  he  reminded 
rue  that  I   hud  not  finished  one  of  the  Doctor's  discourses 
\  vrhich  I  had  began  the  proceeding  evening." 


DAVID     R1TTENHOUSE.  355 

"  Pardon  these  reflections.  They  arise  not  from  the 
g-loomy  spirit  of  misanthropy.  That  Being,  before  whose 
piercing  eye  all  the  intricate  foldings  of  the  human  heart,  be 
come  expanded,  and  illuminated,  is  my  witness  with  what 
sincerity,  with  what  ardor—.!  wish  for  the  happiness  of  the 
whole  race  of  mankind. — -How  much  I  admire  that  disposition 
of  lands  and  seas  which  affords  a  communication  between  dis 
tant  regions,  and  a  mutual  exchange  of  benefits— -How  sin 
cerely  I  approve  of  those  social  refinements,  which  add  to 
our  happiness,  and  induce  us  with  gratitude  to  acknowledge 
our  Creator's  goodness,  and  how  much  I  delight  in  a  parti 
cipation  of  the  discoveries  made  from  time  to  time  in  nature's 
works,  by  our  philosophical  brethren  in  Europe.  But  (adds 
our  philosopher)  when  I  consider  that  luxury,  and  her  con 
stant  follower  tyranny,  which  have  long  since  laid  the  glories 
of  Asia  in  the  dust,  are  now  advancing  like  a  torrent,  irresis 
tible,  and  have  nearly  completed  their  conquest  over  Europe 

— I  am  ready  to   wish vain  wish  !  that  nature  would 

raise  her  everlasting  bars  between  the  new  and  the  old  world, 
and  make  a  voyage  to  Europe  as  impracticable  as  one  to  the 


As  when  a  traveller  in  passing  through  a  wilderness,  slack 
ens  his  pace  to  prolong  the  pleasure  of  a  sudden  and  unex 
pected  prospect  of  a  majestic  river  pouring  its  waters  down 
the  declivity  of  a  cloud-clap't  mountain,  and  spreading  ferti 
lity  and  verdure  throughout  the  adjacent  vallies,  so  we  feel 
disposed  to  pause,  and  feast  upon  the  sublime  sentiments  con 
tained  in  the  passage  which  I  have  read.  Citizens  of  the. 
United  States,  receive  and  cherish  them  as  a  legacy  from  a 
friend,  or  a  brother.  Be  just,  and  loose  the  bands  of  the 
African  slave.  Be  wise,  and  render  war  odius  in  our  country. 
Be  free,  by  assmming  a  national  character  and  name,  and  b« 


356  AN    EULOGIUM    UPON 

greatly  happy,  by  erecting  a  barrier  against  the  corruptions 
in  morals,  government,  and  religion,  which  now  pervade  all 
the  nations  of  Europe.* 

But  the  philanthropy  of  Mr.  Rittenhouse  did  not  consist 
simply  in  wishes  for  the  happiness  of  mankind.  He  re 
duced  this  divine  principle  to  practice  by  a  series  of  faith 
ful  and  disinterested  services  to  that  part  of  his  fellow  crea 
tures,  to  which  the  usefulness  of  good  men  is  chiefly  confined. 
His  country,  his  beloved  country,  was  the  object  of  the 
strongest  affections  of  his  heart.  For  her,  he  thought, 

-! for  her,  he  laboured, — ^— and  for  her,  in  the  hours  of 

her  difficulties  and  danger,  he  v/ept, — in  every  stage  of  the 
American  revolution.  Patriots  of  1776,  you  will  acquit 
me  of  exaggeration  here,  for  you  feel  in  the  recollection 
of  what  passed  in  your  own  bosoms,  a  witness  of  the  truth 
of  each  of  these  assertions.  The  year  of  the  declaration 
of  Independence,  which  changed  our  royal  governments 


*Mr.  William  Barton,  nephew  to  Mr.  Rittenhouse,  has 
favoured  me  with  the  following  extract  of  a  letter  in  Septem 
ber,  1755,  to  his  brother-in-law,  the  Rev.  Mr.  Barton,  who 
was  the  friend  and  correspondent  of  his  youth,  which  shews 
how  early  and  deeply  the  principles  of  universal  benevolence 
were  fixed  in  his  mind. 

"  I  would  sooner  give  up  my  interests  in  a  future  state, 
than  be  divested  of  humanity  ; — -I  mean  that  good  will  I  have 
to  the  species,  although  one  half  of  them  are  said  to  be  fools, 
and  almost  the  other  half  knaves. '  Indeed  I  am  firmly  per 
suaded,  that  we  are  not  at  the  disposal  of  a  Being  who  has 
the  least  tincture  of  ill-nature,  or  requires  any  in  us.— -You 
will  luug-h  at  this  grave  philosophy,  or  my  writing  to  you  on 
a  subject  which  you  have  thought  of  a  thousand  times :  but, 
can  any  thing  that  is  serious,  be  ridiculous  ? — Shall  we  sup 
pose  Gubriel  smiling  at  Newton,  for  labouring  to  demonstrate 
whether  the  earth  be  at  rest  or  not,  because  the  former  plainly 
sees  it  move !" 


BAVID    RITTEN80UBS.  357 

into  Republics,  produced  no  change  in  his  political  principles 
for  he  had  been  educated  a  Republican  by  his  father.     I  can 
never  forget  the  pleasure  with  which  he  avowed  his  early  but 
secret  attachment  to  an  elective  and  representative  form  of 
government.     Often  have  I  heard  him  above  twenty  years7~~l 
ago,  predict  the  immense  encrease  of  talents  and  knowledge    | 
which  has  been  produced  by  the  strength  and  activity  that 
have  been  infused  into  the  American  mind,  by  our  repubii* 
can   constitutions,      Often,    likewise,    at  the   same   remote 
period  of  time,  have  I  heard  him  anticipate  with  delight,  thf 
effects  of  our  revolution  in  sowing  the  seeds  of  a  new  order  of 
things  in  other  parts  of  the  world.     He  believed  political,  at»  j 
well  as  moral  evil  to  be  intruders  into  the  society  of  man—.  \ 
that  general  happiness  was  the  original  design,  an  ultimate 
£nd  of  the  divine  government,  and  that  a  time  would  come» 
Vfhen  every  part  of  our  globe,  would  echo  back  the  heavenly 
proclamation  of  universal  peace  on  earth,    and  good    will 
to  man. 

Let  it  not  be  said,  that  he  departed  from  the  duties  of  k 
Philosopher,  by  devoting  a  part  of  his  time  and  talents  to  tho 
safety  and  happiness  of  his  country.  It  belongs  to  monarchies, 
to  limit  the  business  of  government  to  a  privileged  order  of 
men,  and  it  is  from  the  remains  of  a  monarchical  spirit  in  our 
country,  that  we  complain  when  clergymen,  physicians,  phi 
losophers  and  "mechanics,  take  an  active  part  in  civil  affairs. 
The  obligations  of  patriotism  are  as  universal  and  binding, 
as  those  of  justice  and  benevolence,  and  the  virtuous  propen 
sities  of  the  human  heart  are  as  much  resisted  by  every 
individual  who  neglects  the  business  of  his  country,  as  they 
are  by  the  extinction  of  the  domestic  affections  in  a  cell. 
Man  was  made  for  a  republic,  and  a  republic  was  made  for\  ^  3 
man9  otherwise  Divine  power  and  goodness  have  been  wasted, 


AN    EULOGIUM    UPON 

in  the  creation  and  gift  of  his  public  affections.-^bur  philoso 
pher  adopted  this  truth  from  the  evidence  of  his  feelings,  in 
common  with  the  rest  of  mankind,  but  it  was  strongly  rein 
forced  in  his  mind  by  numerous  analogies  of  nature.  How 
was  it  possible  for  him  to  contemplate  light  and  air  as  the 
common  and  equal  portions  of  every  man,  and  not  acknow- 
;  ledge  that  heaven  intended  liberty  to  be  distributed  in  the 
sume  manner  among  the  whole  human  race  !  Or  how  could 
he  behold  the  beauty  and  harmony  of  the  universe,  as  the 
result  of  universal  and  mutual  dependence,  and  not  admit 
that  heaven  intended  rulers  to  be  dependent  upon  those,  for 
whose  benefit  alone,  all  government  should  exist.  To  sup 
pose  the  contrary,  would  be  to  deny  unity  and  system  in  the 
plans  of  the  great  creator  of  all  things. 

I  shall  make  no  apology  for  these  sentiments.  They  are 
not  foreign  to  the  solemnity  of  this  discourse.  Had  I  said 
less  of  the  political  principles  and  conduct  of  our  enlightened 
President,  hundreds  and  thousands  of  my  fellow-citizens 
•would  have  accused  me,  of  an  act  of  treachery  to  his  memory. 
May  the  time  never  come,  in  which  the  praises  of  our 
republican  governments,  shall  not  be  acceptable  to  the  ears 
•f  an  American  audience  ! 

.  In  the  more  limited  circles  of  private  life,  Mr.  Rittenhouse 
commanded  esteem  and  affection.  As  a  neighbour  he  was 
kind  and  charitable.  His  sympathy  extended  in  a  certain 
iegree  to  distress  of  every  kind,  but  it  was  excited  with  the 
most  force,  and  the  kindest  effects,  to  the  weakness,  pain 
and  poverty  of  old  age.— -As  a  friend  he  was  sincere,  ardent, 
disinterested.  As  a  companion,  he  instructed  upon  all 
subjects.  To  his  happy  communicative  disposition,  I  beg 
kave  to  express  my  obligations  in  this  public  manner.  I  can, 


DAVID    RITTEtfHOUSK.  35 

truly  say,  after  an  acquaintance  with  him  for  six-and-twenty 
years,  that  I  never  went  into  his  company,  without  learning 
something.  With  pleasure  have  I  looked  beyond  my  pre 
sent  labours  to  a  time,  when  his  society  should  constitute 
one  of  the  principal  enjoyments  of  the  evening  of  my  life. — • 
But  alas !  that  time,  so  often  anticipated,  and  so  delightful 
in  prospect-— -will  never— «comc. 

I  hope  it  VTi\\  not  be  thought  that  I  tread  too  closely  upon 
his  footsteps,  when  I  presume  to  lift  the  latch  of  his  door, 
and  to  exhibit  him  in  the  domestic  relations  of  a  husband  r.nd 
father.  It  was  the  practice  of  the  philosophers  of  former 
ages,  to  pass  their  lives  in  their  closets,  and  to  maintain  a 
formal  and  distant  intercourse  with  their  families !  but  our 
philosopher  was  a  stranger  to  pride  and  imposture  in  every 
thing.  His  family  constituted  his  chief  society,  and  the  most 
intimate  circle  of  his  friends.  When  the  declining  state  of 
his  health,  rendered  the  solitude  of  his  study,  less  agreeable 
than  in  former  years,  he  passed  whole  evenings  in  reading 
or  conversing,  with  his  wife  and  daughters.  Happy  family  i 
so  much  and  so  long  blessed  with  such  a  head !  and  happier 
still,  to  have  possessed  dispositions  and  knowledge  to  discern 
and  love  his  exalted  character,  and  to  enjoy  his  instructing 
conversation !-— -Thus  Sir  Thomas  Moore  lived  with  his 
accomplished  wife  and  daughters ; — .Thus  Cicero  educated 
his  beloved  Tullia  ;  and  in  this  way  only,  can  the  female  sex 
be  elevated  to  that  dignity,  and  usefulness  in  society,  for 
which  they  were  formed,  and  by  which  from  their  influ 
ence  upon  manners,  a  new  era  would  be  created  in  the  his 
tory  of  mankind. 

The  house  and  manner  of  living  of  cur  president,  exhibi 
ted  the  taste  of  a  philosopher,  the  simplicity  of  a  republican. 


360  AN    EULOOIUM    UPOK 

and  the  temper  of  ft.  Christian.  lie  was  independent,  and 
contented  with  an  estate,  small  in  the  estimation  of  ambition 
and  avarice,  but  amply  suited  to  all  his  wants  and  desires. 
He  held  the  office  of  treasurer  of  Pennsylvania,  by  an  annual 
and  vu::rnimous  vote  of  the  legislature,  between  the  years 
1777,  and  1789.  During  this  period,  he  declined  purchasing 
the  smallest  portion  of  the  public  debt  of  the  state,  thereby 
manifesting  a  delicacy  of  integrity,  which  is  known  and  felt 
only  by  pure  and  elevated  minds. 

In  the  year  1792,  he  was  persuaded  to  accept  of  the  office 
of  Director  of  the  mint  of  the  United  States.  His  want  of 
health,  obliged  him  to  resign  it  in  1795.  Here  his  conduct 
was  likewise  above  suspicion,  for  I  have  been  informed  by 
his  colleague  in  office,*  that  in  several  instances,  he  paid  for 
work  done  at  the  mint  out  of  his  salary,  -where  he  thought 
the  charges  for  it  would  be  deemed  extravagant  by  the  Uni 
ted  States. 

His  economy  extended  to  a  wise  and  profitable  use  of  his 
time.  No  man  ever  found  him  unemployed.  As  an  apology 
for  detaining  a  friend  a  few  minutes,  while  he  arranged  some 
papers  he  had  been  examining,  he  said,  "  that  he  had  once 
thought  health,  the  greatest  blessing  in  the  world,  but  that 
he  now  thought  there  was  one  thing  of  much  greater  value, 
and  that  was  time."  The  propriety  of  this  remark  will  ap 
pear  when  we  consider,  that  Providence,  so  liberal  in  other 
gifts,  bestows  this,  in  a  sparing  manner.  He  never  gives  a 
second  moment,  until  he  has  withdrawn  the  first,  and  still 
reserves  the  third  in  his  own  hand. 

The  countenance  of  Mr.  Rittenhouse,  was  too  remarkable 
to  be  unnoticed  upon  this  occassion.  It  displayed  such  a 

*  Dr.    Way. 


DAVID    RITTENHOUSE.  361 

mixture  of  contemplation,  benignity,  and  innocence,  that  it 
was  easy  to  distinguish  his  person  in  the  largest  company,  by 
a  previous  knowledge  of  his  character.  His  manners  were 
civil,  and  engaging  to  such  a  degree,  that  he  seldom  passed 
an  hour,  even  in  a  public  house,  in  travelling  through  our 
country  without  being  followed  by  the  good  wishes  of  ail  who 
attended  upon  him.  There  was  no  affectation  of  singularity, 
in  any  thing  he  said  or  did  :  even  his  hand  writing,  in  which 
this  weakness  so  frequently  discovers  itself,  was  simple  and 
intelligible  at  first  sight  to  all  who  saw  it. 

Here  I  expected  to  have  finished  the  detail  of  his  virtues, 
but  in  the  neighbourhood  of  that  galaxy  created  by  their  con 
nected  lustre,  I  behold  a  virtue  of  inestimable  value,  twink 
ling  like  a  rare,  and  solitary  star.  It  is  his  superlative  mo 
desty.  This  heaven  born  virtue  was  so  conspicuous  in  every 
part  of  his  conduct,  that  he  appeared  not1  so  much  to  conceal 
as  to  be  ignorant  of  his  superiority  as  a  philosopher  and  a 
man,  over  the  greatest  part  of  his  fellow  creatures. 

In  reviewing  the  intellectual  endowments  and  moral  excel 
lency  of  Mr.  Rittenhouse,  and  our  late  intimate  connection 
'With  him,  we  are  led  to  rejoice  in  being  men. 

We  proceed  now  to  the  closing  scenes  of  his  life. 

His  constitution  was  naturally  feeble,  but  it  was  rendered 
still  more  so,  by  sedentary  labor,  and  midnight  studies.  He 
was  afflicted  for  many  years  with  a  weak  breast,  which,  upon 
unusual  exertions  of  body  or  mind,  or  sudden  changes  in  the 
weather,  became  the  seat  of  a  painful  and  harrassing  disor 
der.  This  constitutional  infirmity  was  not  without  its  uses. 
It  contributed  much  to  the  perfection  of  his  virtue,  by  pro- 

A  a  a 


362 


AN    EULOGIUM    UPON 


ducing  habitual  patience  and  resignation  to  the  will  of  heaven 
and  a  constant  eye  to  the  hour  of  his  dissolution.  It  was  a 
window  through  which  he  often  looked  with  pleasure  towards 
a  place  of  existence,  where  from  the  encrease  and  perfection 
of  his  intuitive  faculties,  he  would  probably  acquire  more 
knowledge  in  an  hour,  than  he  had  acquired  in  his  whole 
life,  by  the  slow  operations  of  reason  j  and  where,  from  the 
greater  magnitude  and  extent  of  the  objects  of  his  contem 
plation,  his  native  globe,  would  appear  like  his  cradle,  and 
til  the  events  of  time,  like  the  amusements  of  his  infant 
years. 

On  the  26th  of  June,  of  the  present  year,  the  long  expect 
ed  messenger  of  death,  disclosed  his  commission.  In  his 
last  illness,  which  was  acute,  and  short,  he  retained  the  usu 
al  patience  and  benevolence  of  his  temper.  Upon  being  told 
that  some  of  his  friends  had  called  at  his  door  to  enquire  how 
he  was ;  he  asked  why  they  were  not  invited  into  his  cham 
ber  to  see  him.  "  Because  (said  his  wife)  you  are  too  weak 
to  speak  to  them."  "  Yes  (said  he)  that  is  true,  but  I  could 
still  have  squeezed  their  hands.'*'— -Thus  with  a  heart  over 
flowing  with  love  to  his  family,  friends,  country,  and  to  the 
whole  world,  he  peacefully  resigned  his  spirit  into  the  hands 
of  his  God.  Let  the  day  of  his  death  be  recorded  in  the  an 
nals  of  our  society,  and  let  its  annual  return  be  marked  by 
some  public  act,  which  shall  characterise  his  services  and 
our  grief,  and  thereby  animate  us  and  our  successors,  to 
imitate  his  illustrious  example  ! 

Ft  has  been  the  fashion  of  late  years,  to  say  of  persons 
who  had  been  distinguished  in  life,  when  they  left  the  world 
in  a  state  of  indifference  to  every  thing,  and  believing,  and 
hoping  in  nothing,  that  they  died  like  philosophers.  Very 


DAVID    RITTENHOUSE.  363 

different  was  the  latter  end  of  our  excellent  president.  He 
died  like  a  Christian,  interested  in  the  welfare  of  all  around 
him— believing  in  the  resurrection,  and  the  life  to  come,  and 
Jioping  for  happiness  from  every  attribute  of  the  Deity. 

Agreeably  to  his  request,  his  body  was  interred  in  his  ob 
servatory  near  his  dwelling  house,  in  the  presence  of  a 
numerous  concourse  of  his  fellow-citizens.  It  was  natural 
for  him  in  the  near  prospect  of  appearing  in  the  presence  of 
his  Maker,  to  feel  an  attachment  to  that  spot  in  which  he 
had  cultivated  a  knowledge  of  his  perfections,  and  held  com 
munion  with  him  through  the  medium  of  his  works.  Here 
after  it  shall  become  one  of  the  objects  of  curiosity  in  our 
city.  Thither  shall  the  philosophers  of  future  ages  resort  to 
do  homage  to  his  tomb,  and  children  yet  unborn,  shall  point 
to  the  dome  which  covers  it,  and  exultingiy  say,  «  there  lies 
our  Rittenhouse." 

Let  us  my  respected  colleagues,  repair  for  a  few  minutes 
to  that  awful  spot.— In  entering  it — «we  behold  the  telescope, 
dear  instrument  of  his  discoveries,  turned  upon  its  axis,  and 
pointed  to  the  earth,  which  has  closed  its  master's  eyes.— 
How  artless — the  inscription  upon  his  tombstone  !— It  con 
tains  nothing  but  his  name,  and  the  simple  record  of  the  days 
and  years  of  his  birth  and  death.— Very  different  would  have 
been  the  monument  of  his  worth  and  fame,  had  not  the  grati 
tude  and  affection  of  his  friends  been  controuled  by  his  dying 
request.  His  head  would  have  reclined  in  marble,  upon  the 
lap  of  religion.  At  his  feet,  science  would  have  sat— 'bathed 
in  tears ;  while  the  genius  of  republican  liberty,  in  the  figure 
of  a  venerable  hermit,  bending  over  his  grave,  would  have 
deplored  the  loss  of  his  favourite  son,— -Alas  1 — -too — 'too  soon 
has  our  beloved  president  been  torn  from  the  chair  of  our 


364  AN    EULOGIUM    UPON     DAVID    RITTENHOUSE. 

society  !-— .Too  soon  has  he  laid  aside  his  robes  of  office,  and 
ceased  to  minister  for  us  day  and  night  at  the  alter  of  science  ! 
—Ah  !  who  now  will  elevate  his  telescope,  and  again  direct 
it  towards  yonder  heavens  ?  Who  now  will  observe  the  transit 
of  the  planets  ?  Who  now  will  awaken  our  nation  to  view  the 
trackless  and  stupenduous  comet  ?  Who  now  will  measure 
the  courses  of  our  rivers,  in  order  to  convey  their  streams 
into  our  city,  for  the  purposes  of  health  and  commerce  ? 

Nature  is  dumb  ; for  the  voice  of  her  chief  interpreter  is 

hushed  in  death. — In  this  hour  of  our  bereavement,  to  whom 
shall  we  look  ?— «but  to  THEE,  FATHER  of  life  and  light :— • 
thou  author  of  great  and  good  gifts  to  man.  O  1  let  not  thy 
Sun,  thy  Moon,  and  thy  Stars  now  shine  unobserved  among 
us  !  may  the  genius  of  our  departed  president,  like  the  man 
tle  of  thy  prophet  of  old,  descend  upon  some  member  of  our 
society,  who  shall,  as  he  did,  explain  to  us  the  misteries  of 
thy  works,  and  lead  us  step  by  step,  to  THYSELF,  the  great 
overflowing  fountain  of  wisdom,  goodness  and  mercy,  to  the 
children  of  men ! 


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